Make My Whole World Just Explode
by Zeraphie
Summary: AU. Bullies? Check. Mother who was getting remarried? Check. Older brother who hated his guts? ...check. Tsuna had to move in with a half-brother he hasn't seen in eleven years. But Giotto breaking his heart should be the least of his worries. G27 incest.
1. curry and teddybears

_Disclaimer: I do not own KHR._

**chapter one has **curry and teddy bears.

He really should have been used to it.

If anything, it was more of an "oh" rather than a "what?" But no. Tsunayoshi "Tsuna" Sawada stared at his mother, eyes glimmering with its usual, empty hope and smile spread across his lips like an empty crescent as he nodded. He could never refuse his mother. Whether it was out of habit or because Nana Sawada trained her son well, Tsuna had always been the type of person to accept news with dignity and never complain. Out loud, anyway.

Because once he was left by himself, Tsuna was generally a spastic nutcase.

But right now, in the presence of his mother, as his annoying little brother, Lambo, chattered on and on, obliviously whining for fourths, the young teenager knew that it was best not to raise questions. Instead, he nodded with chopsticks at the tip of his tongue.

"So you'll be moving back in with Iemitsu?"

"Only temporarily." She smiled generously, wiping Lambo's face with a napkin. Nana looked to her middle child, a soft reassuring giggle escaping her lips, and scraped the rest of their spicy curry onto Tsuna's plate.

He ate it, no questions asked. His eyes never left the plate of food, unable to spare his mother even the tiniest of glances, and slowly nodded. "Okay."

"Your father and I love each other very much."

"I know." But that'd been what she said the last time, too.

"It's perfectly natural to get into fights with the man you love."

"I know." But that didn't mean he liked sitting there during those times, watching his mother's fingers tremble as she tried to make dinner for them without crying.

"He loves you too."

"I know." The last time Tsuna checked the dictionary (which he was willing to admit was never), "love" and "unwanted responsibilities" didn't go together. He stopped for a moment, scooping the last of his rice from his bowl and putting it in his mouth.

"He loves you," Nana replied again, patient as ever, so he was wondering which one of them was putting emphasis on her words. "And he loves me too."

"I know," he replied for the umpteenth time that night. But that didn't stop his hand from trembling. Tsuna caught it delicately, clutching his trembling hand and putting it behind his back before standing up, smile forced to curtsy across his lips. Aches shot through him, reminders of what had gone on during that time and how he'd hidden over at Enma's house for an hour in order to clean up the blood. "Mama, I have a test to study for."

As confident as that sounded, both knew it was a pathetic lie. Tsuna didn't give a crap about his homework. Still, Nana let him off without hitch, allowing Tsuna to whirl around and leave the kitche—"Tsu-kun?"

"Yes, Mom?" Tsuna halted, toes curling into the wooden floor as he sought support from the wall.

"There's something else I have to talk to you about."

"What would that be, Mama?"

"You have to live with Giotto."

…what? "Oh. Okay." Tsuna turned around, peeping his head into the kitchen and cringing at the bruise on his forearm hidden by the large sweatshirt. He stared at his mother, crescent smile still forced across his lips. "Is there any particular reason why?"

Like…why his own mother wanted to let him live with pure evil?

"As you know, Giotto-san is your half-brother." Of course he knew that. Tsuna nodded slowly, somewhat ignorantly, and curled his fingers into the doorframe. Nana was smiling to him, a knowing glance only a mother would have, and fed the rest of their food to an impatient Lambo. "You two have met once."

"I don't remember." Giotto was the reason why he had that scar on his tummy. They'd only met once, when Giotto was fourteen and Tsuna was five. As far as Tsuna knew, Giotto was reckless. Ruthless. Cynical. Blunt. Sharp-tongued. Scary. Only the Gods knew why he was so willing to be so generous for his mother. But seeing his mother happy made him happy.

"He doesn't want to come to the wedding." That was understandable. Tsuna had the right mind in not wanting to go to the wedding, either. "Actually, I doubt he actually knows that the wedding is going on."

Oh by the heavens. Tsuna resisted the urge to roll his eyes, a wry smile falling across his lips. His mother truly was a blissful ditz.

"Iemitsu is also very, very busy, you know." Fucking other women? Why yes, that was a check. "And Lambo and I will be going to Italy to help him. I've been learning the geography and language, you know."

His mother only used 'you know' when she was extremely nervous. She was never really good at lying, but Tsuna was normally willing to deal with it. "I know."

"Yes, well, we can't leave you alone by yourself, you know." Nana had been wiping the sauce off of Lambo's lip for a total of two minutes. His little brother sat there, whining and complaining about the ordeal, but she was too busy lost in her own thoughts to notice. "Giotto-san is twenty-five."

"And that makes him a legal adult." Oh, he did _not_ like where this was going.

"Why yes! You're most certainly right, Tsu-kun." Nana halted for a second, pulling the rag away from Lambo's lip with her eyes glued to the ground in a similar manner to Tsuna when he looked to his food. He _totally_ did not like where this was going. "So would you mind living with him?"

"No." Yes. "Of course not." Of course he would! Tsuna's mind plunged into various possibilities, all of the school bullies suddenly less horrible than his so-called half-brother. What the hell were they supposed to do together? Play football? He sucked at sports! Go fishing? He didn't know how to swim!

"Really." His mother's response was more of a statement rather than a question. Nana suddenly looked up, the sugar in her voice gone. Oh, rats. She always knew when her son was lying, and Tsuna knew his mother always knew. Heck, Nana knew Tsuna knew that Nana knew Tsuna was lying. "You're okay with moving in with Giotto?"

"Is he?" Tsuna retaliated, but was too freaked out to be curious.

"No." There was no sugarcoating it, so Nana stood up, picking Lambo up out of his booster seat before dearly holding him. Her eyebrows furrowed and she smiled softly. "He lives in Namimori."

Namimori was seven hours away by car. Tsuna scratched his head, awkwardly speechless and nodded. "Okay."

"You're alright with this." Nana tested the waters gently, hoping for the reaction to be warmer than…than _dull._ "You're okay that Papa and I want you two to get along?"

Heck effing no. But Tsuna avoided the question, only stumbling a little bit. "I…it's only natural for two parents who are getting married to want their children to get along, Mama."

"Tsu-kun," her voice wavered with concern. "Papa loves you."

"I know." The voice was more foreful than necessary. Strained, even. Tsuna's lips pulled into a heavy smile. "So when's the wedding?"

"The week after your school is out."

"That's in eight months, Mama." Eight and a half months, actually. Tsuna had been counting the days strenuously for school to be over.

"Uh…nine." She smiled apologetically, clasping her hands together with guilt radiating across her features. Nana scrutinized her son, watching as the demeanor he thought was expertly schooled in apathy contort into full-blown horror. "Namimori is different from Shimon, Tsu-kun. Once you get there, school won't start for another week."

Oh, that was fine. That meant that Tsuna got a week extra of summer…but he'd never been to Namimori before. And his only guide would be Giotto. Oh, cripes. Tsuna's eyes widened in realization. He'd be stuck with Giotto for an entire week! "O-Oh."

"_Tsu-kun_," she begged lightly, "Mama and Papa love you!"

"I-I know." Cripes, cripes, cripes.

Oh, fuck.

OoOoO

Don't get him too wrong. Tsuna shivered despite the humidity, oddly putting on five jackets and cranking up the A/C despite the fact it was nearly ninety-two degrees outside. He loved his mother. A lot, actually. To the point that he would do anything for her, just to see that smile on her face—_not_ forced. Tsuna had been there as a reminder for every heartbreak, but the only man Nana seemed willing to go back to was _Iemitsu._

He slung a scarf around his neck, half-shivering and half-sweating as he paced back and forth in his cluttered room in order to pack his clothes. He thought his dad was dead. Something like that, anyway.

Then one day, he came home, utterly traumatized as his parents decided to have a quickie in the kitchen. That was how five-year-old Tsunayoshi learned about the birds and the bees. Wryly rolling his eyes, he looked at the clock that hadn't changed all morning. After the night before, it was decided that he would leave this afternoon.

His mother wasn't normally the type of person to do such things. When she was in love…well, it all depended on circumstance, he supposed. It also, Tsuna thought as he put on his third pair of sweatpants, explained why his mother was able to get such a nice house and stay at home doing no work. Deep down, Iemitsu probably loved him. Maybe. Probably. Most likely. Could be. Or not.

A soft groan left Tsuna's throat and he rolled his eyes, collapsing into the bed in defeat. Well, it wasn't like there was much to do in Shimon anyway, right? He frowned a little, tossing one of his ten hats to the ground, and raised his shirt. A large bruise could still be seen from when he'd been hit. Enma had it worse, though.

Propping himself on the bed, he grimaced. Enma always had it worse. Tsuna may have been just as bullied, but he was also twice as fast. Clumsy Enma, who he'd known since they shared animal crackers at the age of four, also lacked a lot of confidence. Tsuna often had to take the lead in their friendship, and that didn't say much. He was always and forever would be a coward.

He was trading one school of bruises and bloody noses for another, Tsuna supposed. That's how it always seemed to be like, anyway. But what was he going to say to Enma? He barely had the nerve to go to school today.

_And it was a Friday._

Twice the beating because there was no school to keep the bullies back. Tsuna had a perfect attendance record for every year except for the week Nana had taken him to Italy to meet Giotto. Worst. Meeting. Of his life. But it'd only gotten worse when he got back and found his best friend under the jungle gym, trying so hard not to cry.

"Gaaah." He stupidly pushed the bangs out of his face and tossed aside the many clothes he put on. So sweaty! Why put them on in the first place?

_Tap tap. _

"Eek!" Tsuna rolled out of bed, colliding head-first with the ground. A groan left his throat and he rubbed the new bruise he'd caused for himself. Looking to the window, his eyes came in contact with one person in particular. "Enma."

Dreary red eyes stared at him, lips looped upside down as they always were. Of course, he thought. It was rare that Enma smiled. Instead, the other teenager waved his hand, slowly, and Tsuna took the liberty of stripping down to the first layer of clothing he'd gone to bed in before opening the window.

Enma quietly stared at him, and slowly did he raise himself, arms struggling as he pulled over the window sill and fell flat on his face.

"Enma!" Tsuna knelt to the floor, helping his best friend up and dragging him to the bed. "Are you okay?"

Said best friend slowly nodded, crossing his legs over the mattress. He cringed, and immediately Tsuna muttered something about 'ice' before leaving his room and returning with a baggy of ice cubes. Enma gestured to his suitcase.

"I'm moving," Tsuna mumbled softly. He scanned his best friend, looking for any fresh bruises and grimaced. Enma grabbed the bags of ice, knowing it was useless to argue with the other whenever his injuries became an issue, and placed them on his thigh, shoulder, and crown of his head.

The redhead arched an eyebrow.

Awkwardly chuckling, Tsuna turned away and grabbed the clothes he'd discarded on the ground. He folded them neatly; comforted by the quietness Enma would give him. "I won't be coming back. Mom's getting back with Iemitsu." He sighed, knowing Enma wouldn't respond, and rolled his eyes. "And it's serious this time. They're getting married."

He continued, looking around his room for any trinkets he may have wanted to take with him, and decided on the tuna whiteboard he'd gotten when he was eleven as a joke from his neighbors. "Namimori. It's a really long drive—I'm apparently going by train, so five hours."

Glancing over, he noticed Enma was only staring at him, somber look across his demeanor and eyebrows furrowed.

"I'll be leaving in an hour. That's why I wasn't at school. Mama already has someone who decided to rent the house, so after three weeks I couldn't even comeback if I wanted to." Tsuna genuinely smiled, nervously awaiting Enma's reaction. "I'll be staying with my brother until the school year's over—Enma?"

Out of nowhere, the other had grabbed his arm, pulling out of bed and allowing for all of the bags of ice to fall on the ground. Enma looked at him, eyes not changing before he dragged Tsuna to the window and crawled out of it, again falling head-first into Tsuna's lawn. His hand never left his best friend's, so Tsuna was forcefully yanked out as well.

"Ow! Enma? Where are we going?" They continued walking out of Tsuna's neighborhood into the streets of Shimon. One foot past the other, Tsuna stumbled as his silent friend refused to answer him, instead dragging him through every end and corner before they sat at the bus stop. Oh, fudge. "Enma, I don't have time to—"

If life couldn't get any better (note the sarcasm as dear Tsunayoshi drifted away in his misery), the bus pulled up right on time, and Enma dug into his pocket to pull out crisp bills to give to the driver. Tsuna was pulled along after him, and put into a dry wonder how on earth such a meek little boy could have such a strong grip.

They plopped down in the seats on the third row, and Tsuna was left staring out the window, unable to pull away from the redhead's vice grip until their next adventure started. Fifteen minutes later, Enma yanked him up from the bus seat and pulled them to a convenience store.

"Enma?" Tsuna thought it'd be best to repeat again.

The redhead ignored him, too busy looking through his wallet to care. Finally, he paused, a troubled look appearing across his demeanor. Enma looked up, eyes glistening as they looked to Tsuna, and ventured across the store. Tsuna followed him without question, but was easily met with the same teenager who was now going opposite of his former destination, something in hand, and dragged Tsuna behind him to the cashier.

Enma Kozato placed one very small teddy bear with a flower in its ear on the counter. The cashier blinked, staring at both kids before turning around and mumbling something under his breath.

"If you wanted to buy something, we could have gone to the store near my house." Tsuna arched an eyebrow, staring at the oddity known as his friend. The redhead paid with the only bill still in his wallet, followed by various nickels and dimes. The cashier let out a sharp curse, and spent five minutes counting the pocket change.

Finally after all of the trouble, the teddy bear was finally Enma's, with only thirty minutes left to spare. Tsuna had to get home. Like, now. This time, he was the one to pull on Enma's arm, and yanked them to the bus stop, shouting at the top of his lungs in horrible panic. All the while, Enma stared at the teddy between his fingers. The bus wouldn't be here for another ten minutes!

"This isn't good," Tsuna mumbled, pacing back and forth. He was barely packed with his valuables (maybe he should have listened to his mother when she said to pack the night before) and only had half his luggage. Groaning, Tsuna dug through his wallet, so freaking _lucky_ that he had the exact amount that would get Enma and him home.

Finally, the bus arrived, and he dragged Enma onto the bus, gave the money to the bus driver, and sat the both of them in the first seat. He was dead. So dead! Tsuna kept from ripping his hair out as the redhead continued making the flowery teddy bear dance.

When the bus finally got off to their stop, Tsuna made a mad dash for his house. Or tried to, anyway. Turning around he quickly noticed Enma standing there, gaze fixated on his back. Immediately, he halted, turning around and coming face-to-face with Enma.

"I'm really in a hurry," he said steadily.

Enma stared at the bear in his hands. Then at his best friend. Finally, he lifted his head and placed the small teddy between Tsuna's palms.

"You're kidding." Tsuna stared at it, amazed yet again by Enma's oddities. Before he had the chance to ask what on earth his best friend was doing, the redhead pulled him into a sentimental hug, both arms around Tsuna's torso.

"Don't forget me." Enma's soft voice was blurred in the crook of Tsuna's neck.

The other teenager stopped, tensing at these words, and awkwardly wrapped an arm around Enma's shoulder. "Why did you buy the teddy bear?"

"Wanted to buy you a bigger one. Most of my money was spent on the bus though." Enma shrugged. "Call me every day."

"I don't have a phone."

"_Call me every day._"

"But I—okay." Tsuna smiled, pulling away from the hold and placed the teddy bear in his pocket. He set a hand on the redhead's shoulder, and whirled around. "Bye Enma, I'll miss you!"

After not hearing a 'bye' back, he sped up, running to his house and nearly knocking Lambo over as he darted up the porch and crammed everything into his suitcase. He'd only have one pair of shoes, three pairs of pants, and six t-shirts. Oh! And seven days' worth of underwear! Quickly shoving everything in his luggage, Tsuna sighed and collapsed on the bed. Oh thank goodness.

Enma's teddy bear peeked out of his pocket. Tsuna stared at it, warily questioning its worth and smiled a bit. That was one thing he would miss in Shimon, he supposed.

There was a knock on the door. Nana appeared, nervous smile across her lips. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes ma'am." The brunette stood up and picked up his suit case. Immediately he regretted it, collapsing on the floor because of its weight. How much did he pack?

"Your father and I love you, you know."

"I know." He dragged the suitcase behind him and grimaced at Lambo, who was crying at the top of his lungs. So maybe he did knock his little brother over…

Nana kissed her son on the forehead. "Thank you, Tsu-kun."

"You're welcome." Tsuna turned around, one last glance at his room. Loser Enma would be losing his No Good Tsuna. With a sigh of defeat and depression because he forgot his earplugs on his nightstand, Tsuna whirled around and walked to the taxi that would be taking him to the train station.

So long, Shimon.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

So this was a combo of being spastic at two in the morning and reading nothing but yaoi manga for the past two days. Did you know all of the original works pretty much sound the same? :P I thought that this would be really fun to write, but I don't know how much time and effort I can put into it. Hopefully enough, since summer starts for me in a week.

Well, anyway, I hope you guys like it! I'll make a deal with you (and a challenge for the both of us), each review I get from here on out will determine the length of the story. One review means one thousand words. Two reviews mean two thousand. Three means three thousand, etc, etc. From ten reviews and onward is my limit (if I even get that far.) I hope you guys like this; I'm going to like it!


	2. smokers and brothers

**chapter two has **temperamental smokers and an abrasive brother.

The ride wasn't all that bad. All Tsuna remembered, really, was walking out the door, going to the taxi, and passing the streets of Shimon he hated so much. Many memories fluttered through his mind, reminders and familiar alleyways he'd duck into, Enma dragged behind him, to get away from all of the bullies. Of course, the bullies were never extreme, and Tsuna thankfully never got a broken bone from any of his problems. Getting a broken arm from Lambo pushing him down the stairs, however, was different story.

That being said, his hand was so stiff that he had to flex it five times to get it loose. Lambo was in the car, unable to sit still for the first five minutes before being knocked out cold. His little brother could never endure car rides, anyway. He stroked tangled messes of black curls, warily wondering what side of the family that ugly crap had come from. Still…despite Lambo's overbearing attitude, Tsuna loved him. Against his will, of course, but it was still love.

He thought about that the entire time on the train ride. Tsuna would have two stops before getting to Namimori, so there was plenty of time. Lambo was his little brother. Giotto was his older brother. The only big difference biologically was the fact that Lambo was related to him by full blood, a child of both Iemitsu and Nana, just like he was. Giotto came from a different mother.

He couldn't exactly blame Giotto. Nana…was Iemitsu's mistress. Sucking in his breath, Tsuna shivered. He wasn't a fan of his father. Iemitsu came to see him for his birthday every couple of years whenever Nana and he got together, but that was about all. Around the time Lambo was conceived, Iemitsu was as Tsuna always knew him: a bum who followed the road wherever it took him. Iemitsu once came back for Lambo's birth, then left again, leaving only the revelation that his second (third) son was an accident. Had Tsuna been an accident? Lambo was. In Iemitsu's eyes, was Lambo a mistake? Considering the large gap between Lambo's birth and prior, most likely.

Furiously shaking his head, the teenager shoved aside the motion sickness caused by an hour train ride. Two more to go before he had to switch. The estimated time of arrival was 8:43PM, but he had never trusted how _exact_ those dates seemed to be. Was there a time difference between Shimon and Namimori? He hoped not.

Readjusting himself in his seat, Tsuna rested his head against the window. Riding coach wasn't a problem. Where he was going, however, was. What did Giotto look like? Flashbacks of someone twice his size, pinning his poor five-year-old self to the ground with eyes inflamed with anger…his hand automatically clasped over his stomach, where a small scar was left from when Giotto tackled him. Giotto was supposed to be babysitting him, but neither could understand each other. One brother spoke Italian while the other spoke Japanese. Nothing in common whatsoever.

Nana never questioned it. His mother was the type of person who believed in him no matter what, and although it was obvious when her makeup bag was missing every morning and returned each afternoon, she just never asked. But she knew. Mothers always knew. Tsuna hugged himself a bit, lopsided smile on his face. Her hints were always in suggestions—"Oh, Tsu-kun! Ice on your arms make them stronger!" "Tsu-kun, did you know salt works as a disinfectant?" "I put a first-aid kit under your bed just in case Lambo ever gets into any trouble."—but it was a trust Tsuna knew he couldn't take back. Why on earth him of all people, No Good Tsuna who made horrible grades and was considered a pathetic wimp, could be trustworthy, he did not know and did not ask.

But trust was fragile. No one could put a price on it. So he was going to have to be strong for his mother, and maybe it would work out this time. Second time was the charm, right? Shivering in his seat, Tsuna pulled his mittens over his hands. His favorite number, 27, was patched into the both of them, and due to the surprising coincidence that his hands hadn't grown in the past five years, he was still able to wear them.

It was a strange habit of his, to want to be more dressed when he was nervous. Flourishing from a flustered blush, Tsuna leaned back into the window and wiggled his fingers.

"Hello."

"Eek!" The brunette leaped out of his seat, plunging head first into crappy carpeting. Groaning, his gaze was met with a pair of two long legs…going up a skirt. "Eep." Scurrying away, he went back to his seat, failing to notice one innocent eye follow his idiocy. Tsuna looked up, out of breath from his panic, and was met with a pretty girl with long blue hair and bright blue eyes.

She had no reaction other than the red powdering her face. "May I sit here?"

"Oh." Tsuna slowly nodded, eyes landing on the empty seat next to him. He nervously fidgeted, fingers stretching in his mittens. "Sure."

"Thank you." She sat down, comfy against the other teenager. As he glanced over, Tsuna noted that she was probably no older than he was. Younger, even. But not by a lot. Small and petite, but tall and dainty. He tensed a little as their knees touched. H-Hers was bare.

"My name is Tsuna." He spoke without even realizing it. Shaking anxiously, the testosterone-y teenager turned his head and trembled with a smile. Red scattered across his cheeks. The closest he'd ever gone to talking to a girl was…well, it wasn't this. "What's your name?"

Luckily she seemed even more nervous than he did. Crimson bloomed across her face, and she turned his way, surprised. Only one eye could be seen, the other covered by a mesh of evening-blue hair. Her gaze fell to the floor, and once that happened, she showed no sign of looking back up.

Too bad. Tsuna shivered, turning his head back to the window where country scenery passed by without a care. He needed the distraction. Without even realizing it, his hand slipped out of his glove, softly fingering the scar through his t-shirt. A few more hours and he'd be living somewhere else. Fun, fun, fun. A yawn escaped his lips and suddenly the teenager felt exhausted.

His drifted into other thoughts. Other, but not different. Giotto. Their first meeting. Even Tsuna didn't remember much, but there was crying. Lots of crying, and unfortunately it was from him. Fierce amber eyes haunted his dreams, contorted downward into a disgusted sneer. He didn't remember what he'd done to make his elder brother so angry, but it was enough to provoke…bad things. Very bad things. Hadn't Giotto only been his age when they first met? Close.

Funny. That was about the same gap between Lambo and him, too.

"Tsuna-san."

Fidgeting, Tsuna fell off his seat with a horrible 'Eep!' before bumping his head into the chair. With a groan, Tsuna grimaced and stood up, wobbling against the motion of the trai—the train wasn't moving. Blinking in his realization, the brunette turned his head and met gazes with the pretty girl he'd sat next to. Red scattered across her cheeks before she stood up.

She opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by two people shooting down their aisle. "Oi! Retard!"

Tsuna cringed at the tone and had no time to retaliate. Instead, he stood there with his eyes glued to the _effing large_ scar across the blond one's face. Next to the blond stood a more normal-looking guy. Or so he thought until the yo-yo in that teenager's hand looked like it had spikes. He gulped and looked to the girl, who lowered her gaze.

Was it really right to talk to her like that?

"My name is Nagi," she whispered softly. Tsuna had to think twice before he realized his new apparent friend just kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Hurry up, you fucking moron." The blonde's eyes narrowed at her with an unfathomable scowl. "Shitting us like that…you think it's perfectly fine to walk on your own huh, you stupid girl?"

"He was worried," interrupted the calmer looking one.

Nagi turned to them, mumbling a quite apology. Another smile broke across her face and she followed after them.

"Was not!" It almost sounded like a bark the way the blond talked. Red scorched what little cheeks he had under his insane scar and with one last wave, Nagi scampered off behind them. Almost immediately and barely discreet about it, the blonde _protectively_ pushed her behind him.

Tsuna watched this with mild fascination before gathering his things and inching out of their aisle. He followed after in a safe distance, lost in his thoughts. A girl! _Kissed him! On the cheek!_ That's the furthest Tsuna had ever gotten with one of the opposite sex! Rubbing his nose and feeling a bit arrogant about it, a small smile broke across his lips. He jumped as he reached the entrance, touching the top of the doorframe before exiting.

Success!

"Hm, how troublesome."

"Ushishishishi."

Uh-oh. The brown-haired teenager halted from his position near the bench, not daring to turn around. The snickers he heard from behind pricked his skin, nibbling his neck like an obnoxious leech or vicious centipede. Certainly, they weren't talking about…him, were they?

"You. Boy, turn around."

"Ushishishi. Loooook! He has a teddy in his asspack, too!"

Teddy? Tsuna's hand protectively went to the straps of his backpack, which held the small gift Enma had given him just a few short hours ago. He gulped before realizing that same backpack wasn't where it belonged. His heart beat dreadfully in his sinking chest as he whirled around. What he saw caught him off guard. Perhaps the blond one would have looked more normal than the one cloaked so well Tsuna couldn't tell if they were male or female, if it weren't for the mentally disturbing grin etched from ear-to-ear across his cheeks and the tiara decorating his head.

"I'm a prince." Said the blond casually. "Ushishishishi."

"I-It's nice to meet you," Tsuna stammered. Oh dear god. He stepped out of Shimon for less than five hours and was already running into so many weirdos. Unfortunately he would have to spend more than a second with them, seeing as his backpack was poking out of the he-she's hand. He suddenly searched frantically, panicking as he couldn't find Enma's gift in his front pocket.

The blond had it. Enma's teddy was wrapped in long, bony fingers of one hand while the other was occupied with slim knives. This so-called "prince" grinned wider (if that was even possible), and pressed the blade against the teddy's neck.

"Don't-!" Tsuna shrieked. He suddenly flinched, backing away unexpectedly. Aichmophobia was getting the better of him. This wasn't helping the fear, this was worsening it!

"Don't worry about your teddy. Belphegor, scare him some more. Seems like it's worth something." The he-she looked at him again under clumps of silvery hair, before securing a hand over the blond's.

The blond whined. "Princes don't get told what to do!"

"Ah, having to shut you up without getting paid." With a heavy sigh, the other stranger simply threw the backpack Tsuna's way. The blond followed in suit, harrumphing and sniggering all the same as he chucked Enma's bear across the station. Tsuna sloppily caught the first item before running after his friend's memento.

He shrieked again, freaking out as he tripped over his own two feet as he caught the bear. Tsuna groaned, rubbing the new sore spot on his elbow before looking at the teddy. Its head was halfway ripped.

"In exchange for being such a nice person and giving back your bag, I took all of your money."

Tsuna turned around and was met with the stoic expression still across one's face and the wily grin across the other's. He gulped, hands tightening around both items.

"Smell ya later!"

"Shut up, Bel."

He refused to look back at his things until both strangers were a good distance away from him. Tsuna let out a sigh of relief before rummaging through his backpack. Thankfully his ticket for the next ride was there. However, his money was gone. Groaning, the brunet pulled himself off the floor and held it tightly to his chest. He wasn't going to lose it this time. Enma's gift, either.

Tsuna stared at it steadily as he wandered through pointless directions. His next ride wasn't for another twenty minutes and he was starving as hell. But that wasn't the point. Enma's gift…it had only been a few hours and it was already ripped! He caught his breath as the head jerked back and forth, seams snapping right before his eyes. Great. Just great.

He put it in his front pocket protectively where his mittens also resided and held his stomach between his fingers. Tsuna was so busy packing that he barely had time to eat breakfast, let alone lunch. With a Nutrigrain bar being his only source of food in the morning, he would have to burn every last ounce of those calories if he expected to survive. And his stuffed animal! What was he going to tell Enma!

With a heavy sigh, Tsuna trudged forward, hand sinking into the pockets of his sweatshirt to hold the same bear he was hoping would calm him down. He checked his back pocket, quick to pull out his pocket change and counted all of it before walking to the nearest phone booth.

After two rings, someone answered.

"_Who the hell is this?" _

"Oh uh," Tsuna stammered. "Aoba-kun? Can I speak to Enma?"

"_Why." _

"B-Because."

"_Are you talking BACK to me?" _

"No! Yes! I-I mean…"

"_Geez. Chill, moron. Shut up for a moment._" There was a pause on the phone. Tsuna pulled the payphone away from his ear as his officially ex-upperclassman shouted at the top of his lungs for his little brother. He cringed, hesitant until he heard them shout on the phone again. Well, Enma never shouted. Aoba-kun just didn't know how to use his inside voice.

Finally, there was a teeny, pitiful yelp and a different voice in the receiver. _"Hello?" _

"Enma." Somehow his heart stopped running a triathlon, relaxing to the sound of his best friend's voice, and everything felt okay. Tsuna leaned into the glass, forehead pressed against the dial. "I…I broke the bear."

"_Oh."_

He forgot how much he liked talking on the phone with Enma. The last time they had to keep in contact in such a way they were eleven, and Enma and his family went on a trip to Belgium. Tsuna had the gift of catching every sensitive change of tone in Enma's voice. No one else could do it. Yet at that very moment, Tsuna could pick up on the light sprinkles of sadness in his voice.

"I didn't mean to," Tsuna whispered softly. He clutched the phone with both hands. "I—I got jumped, and they stole my money, and this weird guy sliced her head open, and…and…"

"_I should have bought you a better bear." _

"No! It's fine! I like the bear you gave me!" Tsuna breathed again. "I just thought…you should know, you know?"

"_Okay." _

"Are you okay over there?" He shifted his worries. Enma didn't seem particularly angry as he did guilty about it. The waver in the other's voice broke his conversation since the normal squeaking seemed gone. Tsuna clutched the phone tighter and frowned.

"_I'm used to it." _

They were both used to it. Sighing, Tsuna massaged the bear with his other hand as a frown set across his face. He hated not being around the redhead. At least when they were in the same room, he _knew_ what kind of injuries Enma would sustain from abusive classmates. Now that they were more than an hour away from each other by train, however, he wouldn't be able to get rid of the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"I'll call you as soon as I can," he promised. "Please don't do anything stupid."

"_Okay."_

"Bye."

"_Tsuna." _

"Y-Yeah?"

"_Love you."_

Red powdered Tsuna's cheeks. He twirled the phone cable between his hands, shifting between his feet and occasionally looking at the ground. "Love you too." They mumbled their goodbyes, one flustered and the other all too blunt before hanging up the phone. With a sigh of relief, Tsuna wiped the sweat off his brow and left the booth. Enma had a way of catching him off guard no matter what the situation.

He checked the clock located in the middle of the station for a moment before letting out a sharp "EEK!" His train would leave in five minutes! Tsuna rushed through the terminals, eyes darting in every different direction before settling on one in particular. Twisting his footing, the poor teenager jumped into his next ride before the door shut on him.

Just in time. Sighing in relief, he wiped the sweat off his brow and gave the crumbled train ticket to the conductor before moving down the aisle to search for his seat. He settled on one aisle and stopped. There were four seats, and his was already taken by a little girl.

"Um," he gulped. Tsuna nervously played with the strap of his backpack as both the little girl and whom he assumed was her mother looked up.

"Sorry," she kindly smiled. Turning around, the mother faced her daughter. "Uni, come sit over here."

"But I wanna sit next to Papa." Uni, the little girl, whimpered softly. 'Papa' was the tall, blond man leaning into the aisle. He looked up, sparing Tsuna one intimidating glance, before looking back to his daughter.

"It's fine. I can sit over here next to you, if you don't mind." Tsuna smiled politely before setting his stuff down. He paused, thinking twice about this decision, before hugging his backpack close to his chest.

"My name is Uni!" The little girl turned to him, softly giggling as her feet dangled at the edge of her seat. "What's your name?"

"Tsuna." He strummed with the mittens in his pockets and turned to Uni's mother. "Are you getting back from a trip?"

"Quite the contrary." She smiled back before shaking her head. "We're going to visit a family friend. And you, Tsuna?"

"I'm uh, moving in with my brother." Tsuna shifted nervously in his seat. Peering up, he eyed Uni, who was locked in a staring contest with the bear peeking from his pockets. She leaned over, hands inches away from it.

"Uni," lectured her father. "Sit still."

"But I wanna fix it!" She pouted, tongue peeking out from her lips in determination. She reached for the tiny purse strapped around her waist to reveal a sewing kit. Struggling to smile again, Tsuna pulled the bear out of his pocket and gave it to her.

After all, she probably would do a better job fixing it than he would.

"Sorry," apologized the mother. She laughed a little. "Five-year-olds. They think they can do anything."

"Sometimes they can." Tsuna was given a sickening reminder to how his little brother managed to sneak a grenade into their shopping cart one day at the grocery store. Laughing a little, he shrugged and looked back to Uni. She seemed to have calm down, Enma's teddy in one hand and a needle in the other. _Isn't that dangerous…?_ He was proven wrong by how well she was sewing with graceful, fluid motions. "She's good."

"Uni is very protective of her things. My name is Aria, by the way. This is our bodyguard, Gamma."

"But she said he was her papa—oh." Obviously there were more affairs in the world than the one Iemitsu created between both Nana and Giotto's mothers. Awkwardly scratching his arm, Tsuna watched Uni continue her sewing and avoided the domineering glare directed at him by Mister Gamma. "He's my half-brother." He suddenly smacked himself. How would that information help him?

Aria laughed, and he assumed she didn't mind one bit. Instead, she leaned over, one hand resting on Gamma's knee as she reached for the blanket under his seat. "Would you like a blanket, Tsuna? You look cold."

"It's just something my body does whenever I'm ner—okay." He let out a short breath as his body was suddenly shrouded by a bright orange blanket, and leaned back in his seat.

"If you're moving in with your half-brother, this must mean you're also transferring to Namimori High School School." Aria softly chuckled again, gleam appearing in her sky blue eyes. She leaned over, eyes fixated on nervous Tsuna's form with her lips pulled into an interested smile. "I'm sure you'll…enjoy the teachers."

"Aria is Italian, isn't it?" Tsuna gulped as he realized what he blurted out, but continued. "You guys are coming all the way from Italy to see this family friend? Is it a special occasion?"

"No." She shook her hand dismissively and put one leg over the other. "He's also my daughter's godfather. There is a businessman who resides in Namimori, as well. He's a family friend as well and suggested we came to Japan. It's a beautiful country, you know."

Little, old Japan compared to rambunctious Italy? Tsuna yawned, suddenly consumed by his exhaustion yet again, and shrugged. "You're very fluent in Japanese then."

"I'm fluent in many languages." Grinning, a pillow magically appeared in Aria's hands yet again, and put it behind Tsuna. "Sleep. I'll wake you up when we arrive, Tsuna."

"Last time…got jumped…"

"We won't jump you!" Uni chirped happily. Through half-lidded eyes, Tsuna saw her jump in her seat before Gamma strapped her down with the seatbelt. She pouted, but obediently went back to sewing the head back on Enma's bear. "We're rich!"

"Mothers know best." Aria's tone was warning. She pressed Tsuna against the chair sternly. By the time his head touched the pillow, the young brunette teenager was lost in his own thoughts and plunged into slumber.

"Funny," his mind echoed in the form of Aria's voice. "He looks just like him, don't you think?"

OoOoO

"Rossella is done!"

"Huh?" Tsuna rubbed his eyes with the realization of his aching head from sleeping in such an awkward position. He was face-to-face with a bear, and immediately squeaked in surprise. His instinctive reaction was to jolt in surprise, but quickly stopped himself as he realized Uni was sitting on his lap. Blinking through the last sands of exhaustion, he pushed the blanket away and examined the bear.

What caught him off guard was the blatant shade of red thread that was sewn into the teddy's wound. It was odd compared to the rest of the stuffed animal, but strangely fitting. In fact, it was completely fixed.

"She's all happy now." Uni smiled proudly, settling between his legs.

"Wow. You did a good job." He picked up the stuffed animal as Uni offered it, scrutinizing every little inch.

"Fixing things is my specialty! Like Rossella!" She giggled before sliding off his lap. Looking over, he realized that Aria was no longer in her seat. Instead, the elder women must have migrated to be next to her bodyguard. Following his hunch, Tsuna found the couple snuggling as they stirred in front of him.

"Rossella?" Tsuna asked curiously.

"It means rose. Like the flower on top of her head." She grinned fully as if she accomplished something from that decision. Uni raised her head before sliding off of Tsuna's lap and buckling herself to the chair.

"I see." Tsuna's fingers brushed against the seam yet again before he tucked it in his pocket. "You'll make a good wife one day to someone special." He smiled evenly before peeling the blanket off his body and folding it in half.

Uni giggled again, a bit softer, before leaning into the window. Aria stretched her arms, yawning loudly. Stars caught Tsuna's sight as he looked out the window, sun still setting ever-so slightly behind them. It was a clear sign that it was officially autumn, summer left behind in its ashes, and an early night. Checking his watch, he noted that it was 8:39PM. Four minutes until their arrival.

"Did you sleep well?" Aria asked kindly.

"Very." Tsuna nodded, smiling sweetly to the mother as he pulled both mittens over his hands. He checked his lap for the umpteenth time to make sure his backpack was there before sliding it on and passing both blanket and pillow to the mother of one.

"You looked restless." She laughed softly and pressed a finger to Tsuna's forehead. Eying the boy mischievously, a smirk fell across her lips. "Nervous about meeting your brother?"

"A little," Tsuna croaked softly. His lips pulled into a nervous curl, and he leaned back. They sat in silence, Aria turning her attention to her daughter and the father staying perfectly still. By the time the train finally stopped, they all said their goodbyes, family parting almost immediately at the entrance when they caught sight of someone. Tsuna, on the other hand, got off the train without meeting anyone.

As far as he was concerned, the brunet didn't even remember what Giotto _looked_ like. Let alone why the Italian was in Japan of all places.

He sighed, backpack still tight behind him while trudging through the station and toward the exit.

"Tsunayoshi."

"Eep!" Tsuna squeaked, immediately turning around as a hand clasped onto his shoulder. He slapped it off, eyes clenching shut before reopening them to meet the gaze of…"G…Giotto…niisan?"

"Close." Red eyes flickered with mild amusement. It only took the brunet a second glance to realize that yeah, there was no resemblance between them whatsoever. A mixture of embarrassment and sadness bubbled in his stomach, and he was reminded of the scarlet eyes and red clumps of his best friend's hair. However, the man was much taller than Enma, and therefore much taller than him. He held a broad face, strikingly elegant demeanor, and made Tsuna think of a burgundy color.

It was amazing how long Tsuna was able to stare at him. It was the first time he ever looked at a man and thought him to be drop-dead gorgeous. He blinked a few times as he realized those lips had parted, saying something with a devilish tenor. "What?"

"My name is G." G looked at him, somewhat amused, and jingled car keys in his hand. In the other was Tsuna's luggage, which meant that the other already knew what he was doing. "I'm your brother's best friend."

Tsuna tilted his head, scrutinizing the man yet again. "Have we met once?"

"When you were little." G hadn't even batted an eyelash. "Come on."

"Oh, uh. Okay." Tsuna followed after him in silence, hands tucked in his pockets. He blinked, nervously scrutinizing the man and wondered if all of the men in Namimori looked as good as G did. They finally came to a halt in the parking lot, and after a high-pitched beep, the young teenager looked up.

Before immediately dropping his jaw to the ground.

One beautiful Maserati Spyder sitting happily in the parking lot, unscathed like a precious angel. It stood out compared to the rest of the cars, a stormy red just like G's mop of red hair. It was so shiny that Tsuna wasn't sure if it'd ever been driven before.

G, however, remained unfazed. He popped open the back trunk, set Tsuna's stuff inside amongst all of the different instrument cases and sheathed swords (all the while mumbling something about utterly despising musicians) and hopped into the car like some cool secret agent. He looked over his shoulder, straight Tsuna, and expected for him to do the same.

The brunet gulped, carefully eying the car and how tiny his legs seemed compared to the car. Instead of the suave jump like the other, he opened the car door, and buckled himself in. He would have looked up and to the window, had it not been for the fact he felt eyes staring at him oddly. Tsuna jerked his head to take the bangs out of his face, suddenly feeling self-conscious, and looked through the passenger window.

They drove in silence. Block after block, Tsuna found out that they were from a little neighboring district from Namimori rather than the actual place. Clumps of green caught his eye, from shrubs to trees as they followed a different car in the highway. The closer they came to city lights, the louder he could hear his heartbeat.

He gulped, fingering the thread of his gloves and had the sudden urge to put on five of the sweatshirts in his luggage. Sadly, that was in the back.

"So how old are you?"

"Sixteen." Tsuna tore away from the shrubbery and glanced at G from the corner of his eye. The elder man took his free hand and shoved it in his pocket before getting out a lighter. A cigarette was between the other's teeth He casually let his hand linger outside at the door. "Um, are you twenty-five, too?"

"Twenty-six." G looked over to him, cracking a small smile. It looked good on him. "Your brother's a young'un. His birthday'll be the first of January."

"New Years," Tsuna clarified. His lips curled and he sheepishly looked to the ground, finally getting comfortable. So G _wasn't_ going to bite his head off. He pulled his mittens off, suddenly nervous again, and shuffled is feet. "What…is he like?"

"A pain in the ass if he thinks he can shit me and make me pick up his kid brother," G snorted. To that, the poor teenager cringed and nervously looked out the window. Still, G only laughed. "He's a very busy man."

"Is he…I mean…" Tsuna's voice hit higher and higher notes. He pulled on the strings of his sweatshirt and fiddled with the car until G gracefully slapped him in a gesture to say, _knock it off. _"Does he hate me?"

"Giotto doesn't hate anyone." Suddenly, G's eyebrows furrowed and he looked up to the sky. "Let me rephrase that: he's indifferent to everyone. But he can be a hard-ass if you aren't careful."

"Ah. Uh, what do I call him?" He hadn't been able to decide what on earth to say to his brother. Was it insulting since they barely knew each other, to immediately refer to Giotto by his first name? Or was it okay, but offensive since Giotto was his brother? Niisan, to be frank, or Niisama to be respectful? Niichan was too casual. He was tempted to call him Aniki, but wasn't sure how Giotto would handle it. Then again, his half-brother was half Italian. Was there some type of term of endearment when it came to Italian siblings?

"Like hell I know." G glanced over from the corner of his eye. "You hungry?"

"U-Uh, yeah." The brunet slowly nodded and leaned back in his seat. He glanced down the road, and G muttered something under his breath about money. Tsuna's eyes widened. "If you're paying…"

"Tsunayoshi." G pulled up into a local McDonald's and into the parking lot. Pressing on the break, he turned his full head until they were eye-to-eye with each other. "You're Giotto's brother. That makes you my brother."

"O-Oh…" Tsuna gulped and looked down.

"You can come to me if you ever need anything. And you're allowed to hold me on that." Had it not been for the intensity of the older man's gaze, Tsuna would have been able to reply without looking like an idiot. G put a hand on his shoulder and mushed the butt of his cigarette in his conveniently placed ash tray. "Understood?"

"Okay," he stupidly mumbled. Red fluttered through his cheeks before he looked up again. "M-My name is Tsuna."

"Tsuna." G repeated. He nodded slowly before taking his foot off the break and pulling into the drive-in. "It's fitting."

The teenager blushed again and scratched his cheek. But it was nice, actually, to have someone around like that. It had been such a long time since someone offered him security. Very much so that it was downright flattering. G ordered two Big Macs and two soft drinks before they were on the road again.

All the while, Tsuna sat there, mouth open as he was handed the carton. _What was he supposed to do?_ There was the risk factor, after all, of dropping grease on the amazing interior. G, however, didn't seem to care. He took the burger out of its cardboard container, and proceeded with cramming it in his mouth.

"So," G said between bites, "you like school?"

Tsuna cringed, instinctively rubbing a bruise he'd received no more than a week ago. He shivered. "Not…particularly."

G slowed down before turning into a set of apartment buildings. Red eyes looked at him peculiarly, ready to say something, but backed off. Tsuna assumed G was going to question him further because of his obvious discomfort, but was relieved when he didn't. Instead, he parked on the other side of the campus and opened up the back trunk.

Tsuna took this cue to leave and scurried to the back in order to get his luggage.

"Namimori High School is five blocks away from here." G shut the trunk and locked his door. He pulled out his loop of keys before going up the stairs located outside of the apartment building. Tsuna trudged after him, hesitantly, and gulped. The apartments looked beaten and battered from the outside. Considering Giotto was most likely fresh out of college, it was likely he got a new apartment for a cheap pay, after all.

He just hoped there would be enough for the two of them in that apartment. And for Giotto to like him. And for not some freak accident to happen. Okay…so he hoped for _a lot_ of things.

"Perché lei si è sempre stato me durante l'attività sessuale?"

"Pourquoi êtes-vous plaindre si vous êtes sourire?"

"Fuck." G mumbled under his breath. Tsuna peered up, confused, and noticed the grimace across the older man's face. The key left his hand hesitantly, back in his pocket as he tentatively knocked on the door. Whoever lived inside didn't hear it.

"Mm. Cercate carino quando voi un sorriso."

"Huh. Ne vissez pas avec moi. Vous entendez quelqu'un à la porte?"

"No."

"Cover your eyes," G instructed. Tsuna blinked a few times, but noticed the pale grimace falling across the other's face. Doing as he told, he soon heard the jingling keys again and a hand wrap securely around his own. He was guided in.

"G."

"Giotto. Alaude." There was distaste in G's voice. He growled a little, and Tsuna was immediately tugged behind him. "Put some clothes on."

What? Tsuna moved his hand away from his eyes and peeked from G's arm. He clasped a hand over his mouth before a wimpy "Eek!" could leave his lips, and just about fainted. Two men were leaning over the counter, one blond and the other with silvery-white hair. The blond was bare, from head-to-toe, and was bent at an awkward angle, handcuffed with the oddest purple cuffs Tsuna had ever seen. The other was…was…Tsuna let out a girlish squirm and clasped a hand over his eyes. The other had his _penis_ inside him!

"Not like it matters anymore," said one of the guys. "Looks like his eyes are no longer virgin."

"Fucktard," G muttered under his breath.

"This is stupid." An elegant sigh could be heard, followed by a shuffling of clothes. "Boss. Give those back on Monday."

"Got it."

"You can open your eyes now." G pressed a hand over Tsuna's wrist tenderly and pulled it away. The silver-haired man had redressed in an exquisitely wrinkled suit, and was headed out the door. G pulled the poor teenager away and made room for the said man.

The man halted for a second, staring Tsuna straight in the eye before he snorted. "You look just like him." With that being said, he left.

So this was Giotto's apartment. And if that man was leaving, that made him Alaude. Tsuna blinked, eyes lingering near the railing before Alaude-san's form could be seen entering his car and leaving. So if that was Alaude, then that meant…

Tsuna turned around and caught a flash of blond hair as his brother went into a room that was presumably his bedroom. G and Giotto slipped into a conversation, and more casually, in a different language that fit G's feathery accent.

He scrutinized the room, and how dimly lit it was. The lights conveniently turned on with a clap, G being its clapper. The living room had one bed (which Tsuna assumed was a couch) and a plasma screen across from it. Various bookshelves hung against the walls, and the floor was polished and woodened. Wow. For such a crap apartment on the outside, it was like a luxury on the inside.

"Is this Tsunayoshi?"

"Huh?" The young teenager snapped out of his thoughts and jerked to the source of the voice. Um, wow. He blinked a few times, gaze drifting back to G and the same question popped into his head: _were all of the guys in Namimori just drop-dead gorgeous? _Suddenly self-conscious in his dirty old jeans and sweatshirt, Tsuna shifted between his feet and refused to look into the crackling, fiery eyes of his new brother.

From what he could see, Giotto was sharp. His face was broad and gaze was overpowering. Locks of tousled blond hair pressed against Giotto's face, mixed with sweat and complimenting the fading flush across his tan cheeks. He now wore a robe that covered most of his body, but _wow. _Long legs. All two of 'em.

God, what was he thinking? Tsuna shook his head and gulped. He was ogling. His _brother._

"He goes by Tsuna." G shoved both his hands in his pockets and leaned into Tsuna. The teenager took this into consideration and hesitantly met eyes with the tall blond.

Giotto stood as quiet as G. But from one glance, Tsuna knew that this man could have run an entire empire. There was a small twitch of the lip, before his brother reached out and palmed his cheek. From just that one touch, the poor teenager felt his body ignite on fire. "You have your mother's hair."

"Um." Tsuna mumbled softly. He awkwardly swatted the hand away and shrugged. "You have our father's—"

"_My_ father's hair." Giotto muttered something saucy under his breath and turned his footing. G and he conversed again, lightly, before the expression across Giotto's face contorted into a small growl. "He sleeps on the couch."

"Giottoniisan—" Tsuna halted as a glare was aimed at his face, and shivered. "I mean…do you not have another bedroom?"

Giotto stared at him all too amusedly. "Why would any guest that slept over need somewhere else to sleep?"

Tsuna blinked. Red exploded across his face as he realized what the other was implying. Muttering something soft under his breath, and G smacked his face.

"Lights out in twenty. I trust that you've fed him already." Giotto looked over to the dulled G, and they exchanged looks. One was disapproving, the other just screamed: _I don't give two shits._ Tsuna gulped and fingered his mittens. "You're all cozied up. Couch pulls out."

G sighed. Apparently he was used to this. "You have to enroll him in school soon."

"I'm already enrolled," Tsuna said quietly. "I'll start in a week."

"Good." Giotto mumbled something else under his breath and G and he spoke different words to each other. Their accents matched their speech, so Tsuna assumed that they were just speaking naturally rather than excluding him. Or both. The conversation ended with Giotto sighing before he turned around to leave. "Tell Ugetsu I said hi."

The door slammed in both of their faces and the lights went off, leaving the lone candle sitting on the counter. G patted Tsuna on the back. "Good luck. You'll need it."

"What were you guys talking about?" he queried. "In Italian, I mean."

"You." G grimaced slightly. His hand went for his back pocket and held onto the lighter tightly before sighing. "Listen, just stay out of his way and he'll stay out of yours."

Story of his life. Tsuna nodded in agreement. "Okay. Bye, G-san."

The redhead smiled all too fondly. "Bye, kid."

There was an echo when the front door shut behind him. Tsuna was swept in the silence, staring at the door leading to his brother's room. He couldn't find the light switch, and clapping was too obnoxious, so his only vision was still the candle. With a chilly sigh, his eyes landed on the large couch. He pulled the sweatshirt off his head and held his hands to the band of his pants. Would it be rude if he slept like he normally did, in a t-shirt and boxers? Probably.

The teenager plopped into this new bed, curling into a ball and found the comfiest position to sleep in. It was only 9:39PM, according to his watch. At this time he would be calming Lambo down and trying to find the source of sugar that enticed his little brother.

No more of that. _He_ was the little brother now.

Tsuna flipped around, legs sprawling to take all it could of the couch, and shut his eyes. Strangely enough, his foot was met with something…warm. It was odd warmth, and he actually sort of liked it. Until it squished, that is. He sat up, realizing whatever warmth it was had moistened his leg and reached for it. His hand met what was now stuck on his toe, and he froze. It was thin, and…stretchy. His hand traveled further, and something squished between his palms with a sickening squelch.

Oh dear god.

"Ee—!" Tsuna bit his hand to keep from screaming. There was a used condom on his "bed." And it was _warm._ He leaped out of bed, eyes darting everywhere until they found the bathroom, and slammed the door shut. Thankfully the switch for the lights was still there, and he dashed for the tub, shower nozzle forced 'on' and hot.

He panted from the exertion of energy and sighed in relief. His head hurt. But dear god. A used condom was between the couch cushions. And he thought it _felt good._ And they had sex in there! How did he forget that in an instant?

The shower now shut off, he stared at his drenched jeans and shirt, before leaning into the sink. He couldn't sleep in there. It was too dirty. Blinking away the tears that moistened his eyes, he crawled into the tub and curled into a ball. His hair squished against his head and he tightened his position to fit more of him in there. The bathroom was clean. The only place that was clean.

Tsuna sniffled a little, lightheaded and squeezed his eyes shut. Later he would have to call Enma and tell him he finally arrived.

Till then, this was home sweet home.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

...so my challenge for you guys was, each review represented one thousand words. Twenty-nine reviews equals twenty-nine thousand words. Unfortunately, I don't want to scare any _new_ reviewers way either, but this is at least long-ish, right? Double the last chapter! :D Thank you so much, I didn't think I'd get so much feedback (and I really want to reply to everyone of your reviews, I really do, but I don't have time between updates anymore D:). I can promise you that if you give me the same constant on reviews, I'll update with a chapter about as long as this. How does that sound?

Anyway, there are a lot of different things to explain. First of all, Enma is a big part of this story. So I'm glad you guys reacted well to him, and some of you said you liked 2700. Nothing like that (sort of), but he does get together with someone later. I'm a big EnmaxTsuna fan, actually. Super big. But that's not this story. If you guys want, I can try making a story for them too, later. C: Second, yes. There will be sex. And don't kill me for the Alaude and Giotto in there, _please._ It's a characterization purpose.

Next, sama, san, chan, etc. Sama = super formal and respectful, San = respectful, and chan = casual. Aniki is like, an abrasive way to say brother. And fun fact: when Giotto and Alaude were going at it, Giotto was speaking in Italian, Alaude in French. xD It was a translator, so it isn't perfect, but…eh? Another thing is, I'm associating both the Primo Guardians and the Decimo Guardians in it, but…if I have one couple, I won't have the other, y'know? Just because G27 is in here, doesn't mean GxGokudera will be in here. And if I have 8058, I'm not going to have GxUgetsu…seems…redundant. But you'll like it. I swear. You will!

Until then, thank you SO MUCH for your reviews; I think we'll both have fun with this story! Please uh, review again?


	3. sushi and octopus heads

**Marsnmonkey** oh gosh, thank you so much. My writing style is one of the qualities that I try really hard to wrestle with, and I like how it's come out over the years. I'm glad you like it; and the plot itself…well, you're gonna have a lot to read. Heehee. **HetChrome **YES. TSUNA IS A VERY SAD PERSON. There's a name for it? Haha, I debated who to stick Giotto with for the time being before we get through to the plot. Alaude has a nice personality, methinks. And thank you for reading! **FaerieDemon **I absolutely adore G. He has a sweet personality, I think, and is very much a mature, toned down Gokudera. But also his own person, and struts red hair like a god. Haha, thanks for reviewing! **sender_unknown **Burst in a good way, right, righttt? I wanna make sure this story can go there without it sounding so retarded and…unrealistic. Thanks for the review! **roundround** I'm working on a TsunaxEnma story, actually. It's still in my head, but it's all fluffy and adorable and you'll like it. Giotto, on the other hand…he's a good guy. We just haven't seen enough of him yet, haha. **plummy-kins **I hope the entire time, Tsuna stays in character. That's all I'm worried about. C: **copycat-capycot** dear god I love you. I want to marry you because you make me laugh my butt off whenever you review, whether it be for KHR or YGO. Truth be told, I don't believe in the uke/seme system. :B So that'll be interesting to see how this plays out in the story, eh? **Metamorcy **We've got a long way to go. That's all I can warn you. Si, and I mean _warn._ Haha, thanks for the review! **Queen Phantomhive** How to say this…G get his own guy and Enma gets his own, too. Who knows, they could even end up together! But yeah, Giotto is…interesting. I'm working on his characterization, and Enma and Tsuna will get their own story soon enough. Heehee. **Fire Princess21** Oh gosh, I don't think I can give you the translations. xD What you get is different from what you put in, but I'll let you imagine what they're saying to each other. I'll give you a hint: it's both absolutely adorable and kinda dirty. **Zarokin** already? Poor Tsuna, Reborn would be disappointed by his tolerance level! Haha, I'm glad you like it so far, and Giotto does need to warm up. And give him a bed. His bed. Totally. **ayumistar00 **the hell? xD Is that a "wtf" moment you found? Thanks for the review! **mogu95 **you know I have some smuts in the kink meme for them. Maybe I should post them just for you, C': Thanks for the review! **racooncity **Is a week and a day too long of a wait? Haha. Si, they will become lovers, but my philosophy is go as gradual as possible. They've got nine months. It'll be a while until they end up in bed with each other, haha. **kitsune sakisage** I'm glad you like it so far. Hope you review again soon! **C h r o m a TIXX **Haha, I'm just glad people reacted to it well. But with KHR, there are so many guys that rivalry is almost out of the question, oui? Who knows. But thank you very much for the compliments on my writing style, that means the world to me. And I snickered too while writing it, and wondered how to word "penis." Since it's through his eyes, I'm sure it played out fine? Who knows. Alaude is staying! **Nimrodo** I'm glad you like it, and your English is fine. C: The first chapter is pretty stale, but the rest of the story'll make up for it, I swear! Thanks for reviewing! **Faust's Oblivion** Tsuna just has bad days. I'm not sure how else to describe it, he's like his own Series of Unfortunate Events, and I'm Lemony Snicketts. :P **lemonlimediddies** I'm glad you like the story! Hope to hear from you again soon! **YamixYuugiLover** I love how you read this story and you have no idea what the plotline is about. You are so cute and adorable and I love you to bits, love. SUCCESS INDEED. **Masked Hatter** It's in the works! But I'm sure you'll like it, and I'm happy you reviewed, so thank you! **Shi T3nshi** haha, like I said. I don't believe in the uke/seme system. Equal partnership for me; so we'll see how that plays out in this story. C: **Lena-1827** Tsuna is gay. He knows this at the very beginning of the story and like, I want to make Enma and Tsuna so close to the point that they're as casual as girlfriends. Because we _all_ know that the average manly man (coughGokuderacough) would never be so warm and fuzzy and cute and say I love you. C': So it's completely platonic, I swear. Yay bye bye kiss! **Kanberry** Poor guy, eh? Just can't get a break for once. I love him too much and he is such a brave adorkable sillyhead. C':

**chapter three has** sushi and octopus heads

Tsuna woke up still damp. He groggily rubbed his eyes, twisting his head into a better position when he realized just how awfully his ear throbbed. Where was he? The young brunet pushed himself off the tub, hand against the tile wall before remembering what had happened. He grimaced, eyes plastered to his violated foot. He found a condom. A _used_ condom! That…that Alaude-san and Giotto used!

His head hurt.

The poor teenager decided that instantly as he stood up from where he was, shivering against humid air, and desperately sought his sweatshirt. His watch read that it was still early in the morning—_five past seven._ And he should have been cheering. After all, he wouldn't have to go to school for another week. But school would have at least kept him busy.

He wouldn't have to walk around a city he didn't know and get lost. Tsuna gulped, pulling at the strings of his sweatshirt as he finally pulled it over his head, and sighed. Leaning next to the counter, he realized he was very hungry. His eyes landed on the one door right in front of the kitchen leading to the only other room in the house. It was still closed, and Tsuna didn't have the raw nerve to go up and see if it was locked.

But wow. His eyes wandered everywhere, getting a better view of the apartment once light gleamed through the window, and couldn't believe a one bedroom apartment could actually look nice. Aside from the horrid condom incident, the couch was decent looking. Giotto's table was fancy and shiny, and he had a lot of pictures up. Some were of him and G, others were with other men he didn't know. The plasma screen hung eloquently in front of the couch, and the floors were sparkling. Even the fridge looked like it was imported!

Tsuna sat on a stool; suddenly feeling underdressed for the apartment alone, and watched. He arched a brow, eyes landing on the large fish tank near the window. He walked over, eyes glued to the two fish swimming around and the glimmering gems in the decorations. They actually looked real! Sheesh, how fancy could a guy _get_?

So far what he knew about his brother was he liked having the biggest things in the world and cramming them into an apartment smaller than Tsuna's shoe. He blew a bang out of his face and debated whether or not it would be a good idea to go shower. He didn't want to hog it, in an awkward possibility that Giotto would suddenly wake up, barge into the bathroom, and demand he left so he could bathe.

Naked and all.

Whoa, back up. Tsuna tensed at the realization he was thinking of his brother as the personification of the words, "Drop-dead Gorgeous." He reddened a little, shoving the thoughts aside and stood from his sat. It had been ten years since he'd seen his brother. It was enough to think of him as a stranger and if they weren't related by blood, it would seem pretty normal, right?

"Bah." He ripped the thought to shreds. No more! The thoughts would fade—not now, but eventually. Until then, he dug through his pockets in an attempt to find any change, and grimaced. Nope. He didn't want to rack up Giotto's phone bill if he was going to call across the country, either.

Tsuna sighed, deciding best to pull on his mittens for a long day of shaken nerves, and hugged Enma's bear closely. He looked around before finding stationary near the phone. Quickly, the brunet jotted down that he left the house and didn't know when he would be back. He tore the note and put it on near the kitchen sink. Hopefully, Giotto would find it.

If he left, that would mean Tsuna was risking the chance of not being able to get back in the house until later that night. He…supposed that would be okay. Tsuna awkwardly scratched his head, unsure of what to do. All he really desired was to find the nearest pay phone (with money, of course) and call Enma to tell him what happened the night before. But he didn't have a cellphone, so if he were to get lost, there was a possibility for Giotto to freak out on him.

He let out a deep breath before pulling on both canvas sneakers and making his way out the door. It let out an awkward creak, and was the only old thing inside Giotto's apartment, really. Once the teenager stepped out, he halted and looked at all of the apartments surrounding Giotto's. What the hell.

The paint was chipped, revealing grimy petrified wood. Windows were either very neat or insanely shattered and succumbed to mold. Tsuna awkwardly scratched his head, then looking to the stairs he'd taken in order to get to Giotto's apartment. They were filthy…and _old_ and…um. How did he avoid that big gap last night? With a grimace and great reluctance, he gripped the sticky sap-filled railing and made his way down.

His first step was unstable. Tsuna delve into the ground and clung to the rail for great need before quickly running back in sanctity of Giotto's…front door. He locked himself out. Just great and dandy! Tsuna pressed a hand to his face, muttered something incoherent, and let out a heavy sigh. He could do this. Last night, he did it perfectly well and he was unaware of the fact he was climbing up the stairs to hell.

So, he just needed to pretend he was not about to fall to his doom, despite how pleasant that sounded at this very moment. Tsuna gritted his teeth, bravely trudging forward.

Before giving a free-for-all and running straight down the stairs so fast that the Shimon Middle School's track team would have been proud. Finally he made it to the end, and kissed the ground ever-so lovingly between pants.

"Oh dear _God_, please don't make me go up those freaky things again!" Tsuna let out a deep sigh and shivered in the autumn wind. Leaves fell in heaps. His gaze fell to the atmosphere given off by the apartments. Gates could be seen far off behind the apartment building. Looking over hedges, Tsuna could make out a dirty, yellow-ish pool that looked as if it'd never been cleaned. Many of the cars varied from large trucks to small vans.

He shivered, pulling at the strings of his sweatshirt until it seemed as though his hood would choke him. It was no Shimon, with the warmth of the Sawada Residence. His mother didn't as he trudged down the stairs, and Lambo's tirade wasn't something he woke up to. As his feet hit leave-stained sidewalks, he shivered. It was far too…quiet.

Tsuna always wished he could live in a place where he wouldn't have to deal with bullies. He longed for a place where he could go that would make him happy and he wouldn't have to deal with a kid brother who didn't know how to take care of himself, and he and Enma could relax like kids on TV did. The kids on TV didn't deal with bruises and blood on a regular basis, after all.

His jaw tightened, and he pulled the mittens over his hands before shrouding himself with the hood of his sweatshirt. Don't get him wrong. He loved his family. He loved most things in his life, _aside_ from the bullying. It would be…nice. If Enma and he could enjoy life like normal friends and not have to worry about getting beat up. Luckily, he thought as he walked toward the front gate, he survived an entire night and had yet to get traumatized.

Well, other than the whole penis thing. Tsuna's fateful trek came to a halt. Discomfort pricked his skin, and he broke into a greatly needed run.

He wasn't the best at running, but it was when he did the best thinking. Tsuna pressed one foot in front of the other, feeling the burn shoot up his ankles, tension in his calves, and energy all the way up to his knees. He ran down the sidewalk until he turned directions at the first corner. Wind slapped his face, brushing whatever hair wasn't tucked behind his hood into his eyes. He blinked a few times in attempt to rid the obscurity in his vision.

So what he didn't expect was to collide headfirst into something. "BAH!"

"Hey! Kid, you alright?"

Tsuna landed on the ground, harsh on his bottom. He cringed, rubbing the bruise lightly, then cupped his nose, which felt like it'd run into something as hard as a brick wall. Looking up through his hair, his gaze was met with a bandaged hand. He took it and was immediately brought to his feet.

"Sorry," he murmured lamely. Breaking into an awkward smile, the teenager yanked the hood off his eyes and looked through clumps of awkward brown hair. "It was an accident." Please don't hurt me this early in the morning, he wanted to say.

The other guy was extremely tan. Tsuna noticed this immediately, and it was funny how his hair was white as snow. Or, he thought, still surprised, this guy had been soaking in the sun too long.

"That was some awesome running, man!" The other teenager grinned, pearly whites as bleached as his hair. Tsuna smiled humbly, nodding to this statement. He muttered a quiet 'thank you', assuming their conversation was over and tried to leave, but was blocked. "You've got some great talent! Are you in the same class as Kyoko?"

"Oh, uh." Tsuna blinked, astonished how far this guy would go in order to keep him here. "I just moved here. I'll be a first year at Namimori next week."

"My name is Ryohei Sasagawa, and I like to do everything to the EXTREME!" Truth be told, Tsuna thought it was highly unnecessary to scream that loudly into the air. Oh well; to each his own. "What's your name?"

"Tsuna." He nervously backed away as Ryohei punched a fist into the air. "It's very nice to meet you."

"Tsuna! What a great name!" Ryohei was loud. He shook Tsuna's hand happily, despite the uneasiness visible across the other's face. "Hey, you hungry? I know this _great_ sushi place."

"But we just met—"

"Perfect! Let's go, I'll race you!"

Tsuna was left in the dust, mouth agape in utter speechlessness. Had he…just made a new friend? He did, right? Deciding not to question it, the teenager settled on a light jog, darting toward the same direction Ryohei dashed for. He looked to all of the scenery, realizing how far he'd really run since the apartment buildings weren't in sight. Stores stood tall and bricked, casually glowing against vibrant banners.

He halted, relaxing against the thick air, and took in the many scents. His eyes did all of the work, wandering and looking to the stores that wouldn't be open for another few hours. The teenager halted, picking up a leaf from the ground before twisting it between his fingers, and looked for the nearest sushi place.

This was…nice. Namimori seemed like the kind of town he would go to for spring break. If his only two choices were to stay home and go here of all places, he meant. His face paled, mind drifting back into Shimon. It took him fifteen years to adjust to life over there. If he was already as relaxed with Namimori as he seemed, could just a fifteen minute _walk_ make him feel safe?

With a pleasant sigh, he shivered again despite the light autumn heat glistening against his face. Checking his watch, he made the quick note that thirty minutes had passed. At his old school, it would start in another hour. Enma was normally up by 7:30, and wouldn't get to the bathroom till about 7:50 because of his many siblings had to share two bathrooms. Two bathrooms, six siblings.

Wait. He stopped for a second and cracked a small smile. Even as far as they were apart, he was able to pick and point out every block of Enma's schedule. Could his best friend do the same for him? Well, maybe not. Normally by now Tsuna would still be asleep and be rushing to school five minutes before the gate closed. Looking overhead, he was able to spot a taller building. A flag stood out front, waving proudly, but it wasn't the Japanese flag. Maybe it was the school mascot?

_Crack. _

Tsuna paused. His head jerked to the side, sight landing on—whoa. Tall. He suddenly swallowed the large lump in his throat, head rising until it was met with a flurry of black hair and sharp eyes. The other teenager was dressed casually, yet gripped the baseball bat if he were a true professional. He watched the intensity with complete interest as it flickered between dark orbs. Sweat dripped down the long nose, and with a graceful jerk (so opposite, he knew, but there was no other way to describe it), the bat was swinging something.

Before it let out a rather ugly _CRACK_ again as the teenager's hand bent crookedly and the equipment fell to the ground.

He winced, injured hand goading a curse from his mouth, but the teenager bit his tongue. Instead, he collapsed against the wall of _Yamamoto Sushi_, eyes piercing whatever was in their way, and wiped the beads of sweat dripping down his long nose with the same hand that seemed too broken only a few short seconds ago.

"You did fine." Tsuna blinked, having to double check himself to realize that yes, it was him who was talking. Red scattered his cheeks, darkening once those eyes looked up and narrowed straight at him. He laughed softly, awkwardly shoving both hands in his pockets.

"Do I know you?" The guy asked lightly despite what had just occurred. Tsuna gulped, taken aback by the sudden smile spread across the other teenager's lips. "No, haha. That's not possible. I know everyone who lives in Namimori."

"N-No, I-I…" Tsuna's brain was at a loss for words as he brought his hands up defensively. _To defend myself from what?_ Deciding to drop it as sweat matted his forehead, the short brunet sighed nervously smiled. "I-I just moved here. My name is Tsuna."

"Tsuna, hm? How fitting, haha." The laughter was hollow, and despite the friendliness in his tone, it was obvious the guy wasn't up for a talk. His eyes darted elsewhere, head buried in one of his arms in frustration, and mouth upturned into a frown. A pregnant pause passed between them, and Tsuna gulped, shifting between his feet.

He took it as his cue to leav—

"Have you ever felt as if you're not worthy enough to live?" The other's dark baritone voice struck a nerve in Tsuna. The brunet kept his eyes glued to him, surprise that he was suddenly spewing his guts to a stranger. Somehow the baseball player didn't notice his discomfort, and continued. "Say you've been good at something for a long time now. All you've ever known is one thing, and then you even screw that up. And after that, you just get this big…big…what's the word?"

"Epiphany?" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth. He tensed as the teenager looked back his way, but the dark-haired boy only smiled.

"Yeah. You have a good vocabulary, Tsuna." He laughed lightly. "You get this big epiphany and wow. It's like…like you've spent so much time doing baseball, and when you break your arm, you try something else to pass the time, but realize you suck at everything else?"

"Uh." He was never good at baseball. He was never good at any sports, and was almost always picked last (because it really interchanged between both him and Enma). Shifting between his feet, he realized just how close he was to who seemed like a baseball protégé. "N-No."

It definitely caught the other teenager's attention. He looked up, eyes completely glued to Tsuna. "You must think I'm idiot."

"Oh gosh, I don't!" Was he being sarcastic? Tsuna fumbled with the tail of his shirt and ran a hand through his hair. With an empty-hearted laugh, his eyes fell to the ground. "Sometimes I think I'm not good enough, but it's…it's life, y'know? What I wouldn't give to be as tall as you, or…or…as strong as you. And a lot of times you find out that you have a lot of other talents. I didn't know I could knit until my mother put the needles in my hand, so…" Tsuna shrugged, ears redder than a tomato. "Maybe you need to find your knitting needles."

It was that gaze again. Tsuna couldn't fathom as to how it was able to get serious one second and then soften the next. A soft chuckle, more realistic than the others, echoed from his throat. "Thanks. I needed that."

"Did you break your arm over the summer?" Tsuna let out an unnoticeable sigh of relief. Wait. Did he just pee his pants? He gulped again as the other boy stood up, nearly a good seven inches taller than him. His teeth clenched in before his jaw had the chance to drop to the ground.

"During the last game of the season last year." His expression turned grim, studying the hand the brunet assumed was his bad one. He extended it expectantly. "My name is Takeshi Yamamoto, Tsuna. Call me whatever you like."

The only person he ever called by their first name outside of his family was Enma and his family. He first tried approaching Aoba-kun and calling him Koyo-senpai, but was immediately rejected. And…did G count? The older man himself was his self-proclaimed brother, so…

Takeshi Yamamoto must have noticed his discomfort. He laughed lightly, recklessly swinging the bat around until it was over his shoulder and grinned. "You can call me Yamamoto. We'll work our way up to Takeshi, haha. Do you want some sushi?"

Sushi. Why did that sound so…familiar? "Eek!" Tsuna's hands met his hair and he yanked violently, eyes widening in utter shock. "S-Sasagawa-san! I-I was in the middle of a race with him—gosh, what if he hunts me down?"

"Sasagawa…?" Yamamoto blinked in surprise. "Do you mean Sasagawa-senpai?"

"Probably! Yes! Gosh, he looked so strong, too, I'm screwed, screwed…so screwed…" Tsuna shivered, eyebrows furrowed and mouth open ajar in panic.

"He's inside eating sushi." With just that, the taller teenager's lips pulled into a grin. He directed the baseball bat near the door and guided Tsuna in. "So where did you move from, Tsuna?"

"Shimon." Tsuna smiled back generously, relieved that he apparently made a new friend—one who was also not going to beat him up. Hopefully. "I'll be attending Namimori High School next wee…where does he pack it all?" His mouth dropped in disbelief as the bleach-haired, tan, and apparent upperclassman came into view. Ryohei was hunched over a stool and sitting next to eight empty plates bigger than Tsuna's head.

The man in front of him greatly resembled Yamamoto—_duh._ Tsuna kept himself from smacking his head, reminded that the name of the same sushi bar was Yamamoto Sushi. His father owned the place!

"My dad and I own the place, haha." Yamamoto responded as if it weren't obvious. "We get a lot of customers. They prefer getting it from here, as well. Everything he makes is fresh."

Standing to the tip of his toes, Tsuna's eyebrows quirked with amazement. Yamamoto's father was as smooth with a knife as his son was with the bat—despite what Yamamoto himself thought. He snapped back to reality when his new friend patted him on the back.

"Pops! This is Tsuna, he's a new friend of mine. Do you think you could whip up some food for us?" A playful grin spread across Yamamoto's face and he lightly laughed. "Ryohei-senpai, he says he knows you."

"Wah?" Ryohei came to a dead halt, face stuffed as if he was a hamster with a mouth full of sunflower seeds. Had not been for how toned and glistening his muscles were, Tsuna would have immediately burst out laughing.

Instead, he bit his lip, and Yamamoto clutched his shoulder more comfortably. "Ryohei-senpai is going to be a second year at Namimori High when school starts. What about you, Tsuna? Are you going to Namimori Middle?"

"Wha? N-No." The brunet gulped, suddenly insecure about his height. He shifted between his feet, crookedly smiling and scratched his head. "I'm going to be a first year at Namimori High."

"Oh? Then we might have a class together. That's cool, haha." Yamamoto pulled him to the counter. All the while, Ryohei's gaze was glued to Tsuna's form. "When did you move here?"

"Last night." It was a whim of his mother's. Tsuna sat down timidly in the stool, feet dangling in contrast to Yamamoto, whose feet easily reached the ground in the stool right beside him. His stomach felt uneasy, and he couldn't help but worry about how utterly uncool he looked.

Yamamoto's father smiled benevolently and handed him a pair of chopsticks. "That's nice. Why don't you show him around, Takeshi?"

"I-I don't really…" The sushi looked amazing. Tsuna swallowed the seven liters of saliva that got a kick out of the food teasing his stomach. On cue, there was a loud growl heard from his belly, and red scattered across his cheeks. "…h-have m-money…"

"Oh, Takeshi's friends always get discounts from me." How could he get a discount if he didn't even have money! Yamamoto's father only laughed again, grin spread across his face in amusement as he patted Tsuna on the head like someone affectionately petting an animal. "But since this is my first time meeting you, I suppose it's on the house!"

"I can show you where Namimori High is. You'll have to go pick up your uniform, anyway." Yamamoto laughed again and stole one of the sushi rolls from Tsuna's first plate. "Eat it! It's good!"

"I don't really…" Like fish. But he was in no position to complain. Delicately observing his food, Tsuna tilted his head to the side and picked the sushi before allowing it to slip between his teeth. The taste of raw salmon, rice, carrots, and seaweed crunched between his teeth and—oh cripes. "It's good."

His eyes widened in amazement, and he quickly dipped the next roll in the wasabi-soy sauce mix casually let out between him and Yamamoto.

"Besh en ton!" Ryohei forced himself back into the conversation, but Tsuna's empty stomach only allowed him to listen to half of what he was saying. "Jis wuh weh I wagonna tek you!"

Tsuna froze. He offered a pleasant smile and ignored his intuition telling him: _don't smoke whatever he's smoking!_

"Eh, Yamamocho!" Like a real hamster (or more sickeningly, a snake swallowing a rat), the two large lumps of sushi that made the upperclassman's cheeks inflate thoroughly went down his throat like an obnoxiously large tumor. He grinned and gulped down what seemed to be his fifth glass of water. "This guy's really good! He was taking a morning jog and barely broke a sweat! We could use him on our track team and he could end up making it work like, to the extreme!"

"Oh? Were you on the track team in Shimon?"

"Wh-What? N-No, I…" Tsuna gulped down the last of sushi and stared at his empty late, eyes widened. Both were athletes. Why would they want to hang out with scrawny old him if he wasn't an athlete? His heartbeat felt as if it _was_ on a track team and going a kajillion miles an hour. This wasn't right. The fact he was even here, socializing with the jocks that at his old school were reputed as his pimps and really, he was their bitch—was out of his comfort zone. Tsuna blinked, awe provoking his silence.

Cripes, what was he _doing_?

An hour ago he was freaking out because his brother had slept with a _guy_ on the couch that was demoted as his bed, and found a used condom. He was pathetic, No Good Tsuna! How on earth did he end up in a sushi bar with an awesome baseball player and this…one guy he met while trying to run away from his problems?

There was a hand resting comfortably on his knee. Looking up, his eyes were met with Yamamoto's, who gleamed with concern. They sat there for a moment, with the compassion still radiating from the taller boy while misplaced fear throbbed in Tsuna's chest. "You don't have to..."

The hand was automatically slapped off. Tsuna held back a hiss, instead resorting to a quiet squeak, but looked up and was met with silvery hair. _Wow._ He blinked a few times in order to make sure his eyes were in proper working order. The guy looked very…familiar.

"Dammit, you fucking baseball freak," seethed the silver-haired teenager. "You had me waiting outside her house for a good thirty-seven minutes!"

"Ooh!" Ryohei-senpai broke away from his sushi, grin spread across his face. "You actually kept count of the minutes, Octopus Head?"

"She had a fucking cellphone, alright? Dammit, we're going to be late now! I'm all with her and you're…" Octopus Head's eyes grumpily darted to Tsuna. The shorter teenager cowered in his seat, utterly mortified. He was like an explosion ready to go off at any tie. "You're here trying to pick up middle schoolers! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Yamamoto smiled softly. This was casual behavior? "Sorry, Hayato."

For a brief moment—and Tsuna meant _very brief_ly_—_he could see the ribbon of red splash across the so-called Octopus Head's face. It was immediately replaced by a scowl, and a harsh punch was designated for Yamamoto's jaw. It looked like it could have been easily dodged, but the tall teenager stood firm. What the hell?

"Who the _fuck_," Octopus Head hissed, "gave you permission to call me by my first name?"

"Haha, we've known each other so long, I figured I would get away with it." Yamamoto rubbed the back of his head, grin spread across his lips. "You're welcome to call me Takeshi whenever you want, haha."

Ryohei bellowed alongside Yamamoto's father. "You've known each other for eight years! Don't you think that's enough time to call each other by your first names?"

"Hell fucking no. It's Gokudera, and it will _always_ be Gokudera because that baseball freak doesn't have enough brain function to comprehend anything else. Say it with me, you nut. You know what the word 'comprehend' mean?" Now named, Gokudera crossed his arms rather arrogantly before jerking his attention back to Tsuna. "Why are you hitting on some poor, innocent kid?"

"M-My name is Tsuna S-Sawada." Well, wasn't _he_ just a happy firecracker? Tsuna gulped upon instinct, chopsticks clacking between his fingers. Yamamoto noticed this immediately and pushed his hand to the plate, smile full across his lips.

"He just moved here from Shimon. On the track team, too." Wh-What? When did he give that impression? Eyes widening, Tsuna looked over in alarm, but Yamamoto was on a roll. He laughed lightly and stood up from his seat. "I'm giving him a tour of Namimori. Do you want to join us?"

Gokudera's eyes narrowed at them heatedly. His gaze kept switching left and right; from Tsuna and Yamamoto. Finally he scoffed, eyes darting away. "Fine."

"I-If you guys already had plans…" Tsuna shifted in his seat with uncertainty.

"It's fine, silly. Haha, I like making new friends anyway. Pops, thanks for serving my new friend. Ryohei-senpai," Yamamoto smiled genuinely and shifted his attention to the teenager who had gone back to eating. "Would you like to come with us?"

"Naw tenks!" Ryohei wily grinned, beaming like an idiot more than he was before. His eyes fell onto the short brunet himself. Tsuna could have sworn he winked. "Have fun keeping up with them, Sawada! They're like fast, to the extreme!"

"Tch. Moronic Turf Top." Gokudera scowl before turning his head.

"You ready to go, Tsuna? Haha."

"What? Yeah." Tsuna smiled nervously and slid out of his seat. He followed the taller teenager and failed to miss the tension forming across Gokudera's demeanor as he watched the action. Their eyes quickly met before the grouchy teenager's eyes widened, _caught in the act_, and turned away. What was that about? With a sigh, Tsuna stopped in his tracks behind Yamamoto once they were out of the bar, and ducked his head to the ground. "Y-Yamamoto, I…"

"Mm? Tsuna?" The taller turned his head and looked down. "Is something the matter?"

"I-I'm…_not_ part of the track team," he stammered, heart beating loudly in his ears. "I'm sorry."

"Huh. Well, I guess that was just an assumption on my part, haha." Yamamoto laughed lightly, hand behind his head sheepishly before he gestured to Gokudera, who stood a few feet away. Grinning, he arched an eyebrow. "But it's a big compliment if one of your upperclassmen thinks you have potential. Why don't you go to tryouts next week and see what happens?"

"W-Well that's just it." He wasn't an athletic person. He was a weakling who always got beat up, and the second school started his new friends would realize just how lame he really was. "I don't think…"

"Tsuna, haha. There's no shame in trying. And I'll be your coach if you want, how about that? Haha. You can give me pep talks about baseball and I can prep you for the track team, alright?"

"B-But, I'm not…!"

"You're not good at baseball either? Hm, that could be a problem. I'll just teach you how to do that too." Yamamoto grinned sweetly and petted him on the head much like his father did. He lowered himself until they were close to the same height and muttered, "I'm sure you're better at pep talks than Hayato is, anyway."

Hayato…? "D-Didn't Gokudera-kun say you weren't allowed to call him that?"

"Well, he can't tell me what I can and can't call him in my head, now can he? Haha." Yamamoto pulled away, and the strained smile Tsuna had seen when they first met reappeared across his face. Like Gokudera, the expression only lasted less than a second before he slapped an arm around the brunet's shoulder and pulled him closer. "Alright, anything else?"

"W-Well…" Tsuna checked his watch and his heart sank. He sighed. "Never mind."

Yamamoto arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Y-Yeah." With an awkward smile, they caught up to the straight-lipped Gokudera. He looked over his shoulder, both the direction opposite of where they were going and where his new 'home' supposedly was. He would just have to call Enma later.

OoOoO

"You are such a fucking clutz."

"Aw, haha. Be nice, Gokudera."

"Sorry," Tsuna murmured softly. He groaned, spitting bits of sand that had gotten trapped between his teeth and groggily looked up. With a sad sigh, he realized that his ice cream cone had hit the dirt and was crushed into a hundred pieces. "Double sorry."

Running a hand through his hair, he couldn't believe he was, just as Gokudera said, such a clutz.

In less than five minutes, the rocky road ice cream Yamamoto insisted on buying him left his hand and hit the ground all because he tripped over the curb. Before he knew it, said teenager hoisted him up and back on his feet. Tsuna stumbled, looking to the ground in defeat. Just for once, couldn't he do _something_ right?

"No sweat, haha." Yamamoto only smiled and gestured to his own ice cream. "We got the same kind. Would you like to share?"

Red scattered across Tsuna's cheek. Any nicer and he would have felt like Yamamoto had been taking him out on a date. "W-Well, it's your ice cream, and it's not like I really have the right to…"

"There are germs, you fucking moron. After he took a dive for the dirt, that's once kiss _no one_ would want to see." Gokudera balled his fist, sternly ready to punch Yamamoto in the arm. He would have succeeded, had he not paused in the midst of it and look away like it was no big deal. Was it just a coincidence the arm he was close to punching was also the one Yamamoto said he broke?

Tsuna blinked, tentatively taking a lick of chocolaty goodness. He swallowed it, engulfed in a silence. Neither Yamamoto nor Gokudera were talking to each other, but they also didn't look comfortable. Yamamoto had taken him left and right, gesturing to different stores and other landscapes. Afterwards he paid for a ticket (again, making Tsuna feel like he was on a date) and took him near the riverside where most people apparently hung out.

Despite how modern baseball seemed, Yamamoto's tastes were far different from what Tsuna could imagine. He liked relaxing, calm, and serene. There had been a baby on their way to the subway, and he came up to the mother in an effort to help her. Almost immediately, the baby was lulled to sleep, and the goofy smile across Yamamoto's face simply widened.

Gokudera-kun, on the other hand, was loud. Rambunctious, grouchy, irate, grumpy, and a scary…well, smartass. Tsuna gulped, tugging at the end of his sweatshirt so it met him mid-thigh, and refused to look up at the same guy that had been leering at him for the past seven hours. Where Yamamoto was calm and silly, Gokudera was irrational and pissed off. It'd be a miracle if Gokudera ever smiled.

"You should quit smoking."

"_Why_."

It wasn't even a question. Tsuna gulped as he watched the conversation between Gokudera and Yamamoto. They settled for a park near a nice pond. Sunlight gleamed against them, slowly drifting into the sky as it mixed into a warm yellow. 5:37PM.

Tsuna sat obediently on the jungle gym next to Yamamoto, who idly swung a bat in one hand and licked their shared ice cream in the other. God, he hadn't felt so much like a girl since Lambo spontaneously wanted to play dress-up with him. With a soft sigh, he leaned back and felt an odd sense of warmth. Yamamoto was different from the other athletes he was used to hanging around. It was almost awkward, really, to stand next to a guy twice his size and not expect to have the living crap beaten out of him.

"Smoking isn't healthy for you." Yamamoto scolded lightly, eyebrows furrowed and mouth turned into a crooked frown.

"You're only saying that because my damn woman thinks the same fucking thing."

"I'm happy if you're happy, Haya—Gokudera. But you'll be happier with her if you and she get along, don't you think?" The taller teenager shifted, and a soft creak could be heard under them. Tsuna instinctively clutched onto Yamamoto's bicep to keep from falling, and was given a look of confusion.

Tsuna reddened and pulled his arm away. "Sorry."

"S'fine." Yamamoto smiled lopsidedly, but the brunet could tell this wasn't a conversation they wanted some outsider to drift into.

"Um, Yamamoto?"

"Yeah?"

He didn't want to be the third wheel. Particularly, he didn't want to be the third wheel to two people who were arguing more than an old, married couple. Smiling uncomfortably, Tsuna tilted his head. "I know I-I've spent your money all day—"

"Tsuna, the only money you've spent of mine is for a subway ticket and ice cream. Haha, that's less than five hundred yen!"

He would have been more relieved if his mother hadn't taught him never to borrow money if he knew he positively couldn't pay them back, and the fact Gokudera was in front of them, eyes rolling so loudly Tsuna could feel it on the side of his head. "D-Do you think I could borrow some money to call a friend of mine?

"Less than a hundred yen." Yamamoto quirked an eyebrow, breaking into a small smile before he reached for his wallet and gave the shorter boy the money needed. Tsuna sighed with relief, making a mental note to find a job—_like, quickly_—before the next time he and Yamamoto came in contact with each other.

Looking over his shoulder, he was quick to see Gokudera shove the butt of his cigarette into the dirt before lighting another. They met gazes, and looked away, one discomforted and the other very grumpy. Tsuna slid off the jungle gym, money in hand, and left them to their conversation.

"Could you be a little nicer?"

"Could you stop acting like his fucking lover?"

Looking over his shoulder, he saw that neither Yamamoto nor Gokudera moved from their spots. Finally out of hearing range, he yanked at the strings of his sweatshirt and ventured toward the only phonebook located in the park.

"_What fucking took you so long to call, Sawada?" _

He blinked, staring at the phone since it only rang once. He was on a public phone, so… "Aoba-kun? How did you now it was me?"

"_No kidding, dipshit. You're the only kid your age who doesn't have his own personal communication device!_" Tsuna nervously scratched his head and rocked between his feet. He didn't want to point out the last time he checked, Aoba didn't know how to _spell_ communication.

"Can I speak to Enma?"

"_Stop getting your panties in a wad, I'm just trying to create conversation!_"Why did Aoba's enthusiasm remind him of someone else? From his end, Tsuna could hear as his upperclassman take in a deep breath before—"_ENMAAAA. GET YOUR DAMN ASS DOWN HERE AND TALK TO THE PANSY YOU THINK IS A FRIEND!" _

Tsuna cringed and pulled the phone away from his ear. Lovely family. Luckily when he put the phone back against his ear, a new person was there to greet him. _"Hello?" _

"Hey Enma." Tsuna smiled softly and sighed in relief. It was the first time in what felt like an eternity that he felt safe around anyone. Looking back to where his new friends were, he saw that Gokudera now had his back turned to Yamamoto and the other teenager was begrudgingly swinging his back. "I meant to call you yesterday, but—"

"_You just got there and it was late at night. It's fine._"

"No, it's not." Nerves swelled in the pit of his stomach as he fumbled with the phone. Tsuna leaned into the booth. "It's crazy over here."

"_You sound fine. Like you haven't been beaten up yet."_

"I haven't. Have you?" There wasn't an answer. "Enma?"

"_I'm used to it._"

Freaking…of course Tsuna knew he was used to it. The brunet resisted the urge to beat his head into the glass screen and nervously shifted. "I want you to come here. During the holiday I mean, or…or your birthday. Or my birthday. Mine's coming up soon, isn't it?"

"_Two months._" There was slight comfort in Enma's voice, and the brunet knew his best friend was smiling. _"I'd love to come up there for your birthday. Meet your brother and stuff._"

"God, it's torture." Tsuna confessed. He sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair. "He um. Well, he's not the nicest guy around."

"_He can't be that bad. He's related to you." _

And it was that one little sliver of reasoning keeping Tsuna from taking his pants off. He shivered, self-consciously embracing himself and fumbled with his elbow. "He's gay."

"_I see._"

"W-Well…"

"_Tsuna, that's the best common ground you could ask for._"

"How can I talk about it with someone who I practically see as a stranger when I can barely talk about it to my own mother?" Tsuna's voice climbed seven octaves before he loosened his grip on the phone. Red sparkled across his cheeks. "Sorry."

"_You've only been there for a day, Tsuna. You'll get used to it eventually." _

"I met someone." Tsuna scratched his palm and suddenly smiled. G was to Giotto as Enma was to him. "He reminds me of you."

"_Pathetic and wimpy?_"

"N-No! He's uh, a redhead." That was stupid reasoning. He blushed and shifted between his feet. "He's really nice. Oh, and your teddy bear is fixed."

"_Tsuna, I can barely keep up when you jump from subject-to-subject._"

"S-Sorry."

"_I'm glad you got it fixed though." _

"Me too." His lips parted into a delicate smile. The brunet held the phone tightly, remembering all too easily how comfortable Enma made him. It was a good thing that they were friends. Really good. He would have loved it if Enma were able to come to Namimori; to see how nice Yamamoto was. Having his best friend by his side would make everything all the better. But he didn't want to face Giotto. He sighed softly. This fear for his brother had lasted ten years, even when Giotto was at the back of his mind. Asking was way out of the line.

"_I could ask my mother if you could come for the weekend." _

"Oh, uh, I can't. School starts next week, so I have to pick up my uniform and get used to everything. How about the weekend after that?"

"_Shitopi-chan and I have to work on a class assignment that weekend." _

"Oh." That was unexpected. Tsuna rarely went more than a day or two without talking to Enma. He barely went an _hour._ Scratching his head, the brunet's ear awkwardly waited on the phone for further instructions, but found none. "I guess…we'll just have to ride it out. I miss you already."

"_Yeah." _Enma breathed into the phone. _"I miss you too." _

"I'll call you first chance I get." Smiling softly, he clutched the phone tighter. "Love you. Bye."

"_You too. Bye." _

With that done and over, he heard birds singing in his head. A blissful sigh left his throat, and he stared at the leftover change before exiting the phone booth and returning to both Gokudera and Yamamoto. They had stopped talking altogether, and were staring in opposite directions. Great. Gulping, Tsuna looked up. "Um, Yamamoto? I hate to bother you again, b-but it's getting late, and…"

Wait, how would he even know Giotto was home?

"Oh? Alright." In an instant, the smile was back on Yamamoto's face and he slid off the jungle gym with perfect grace. Tsuna backed away in order to keep from getting hit by sand. "You coming, Gokudera?"

Gokudera grumbled something under his breath. He shoved both hands in their pockets and they walked to the subway in silence. It would be a fifteen minute ride in the subway and who-knows-how-long walk to get back to Giotto's apartment.

"So how did you break your arm?" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth when he realized he realized what he blurted out.

Yamamoto and Gokudera had stood up and used the hangers, leaving Tsuna squished between two adults. The dark-haired teenager looked down, forced out of his contemplation, and smiled softly. "I'd been training too hard for it. I guess…my mind wasn't focused, haha. I ended up colliding into a tree—but my endurance is built up. It didn't hurt too badly."

"I'm so sorry." The brunet's expression softened grimly. "A-And When did you start dating your girlfriend, G-Gokudera-kun?"

The silver-haired boy sneered icily. "Why the fuck would you want to know?"

"J-Just curious!" Tsuna squeaked and brought his hands up defensively. Despite the massive height difference between Yamamoto and he, Gokudera was far more intimidating than the baseball player. "Y-You seem h-happy and…all…"

From the corner of his eye, he could see the expression on Yamamoto's face flicker, changing a little with minor discomfort. He acted like he didn't notice.

"Fucking nosy cheeky-assed brat," Gokudera hissed.

With a flinch, they continued their subway ride in silence.

As it turned out, Tsuna hadn't hurt Yamamoto's feelings too much. And he was beginning to realize wherever Yamamoto went, Gokudera followed like a lost puppy, despite the irate scowls and snappy comments. Tsuna had broken the silence again once, with Yamamoto, to ask how the track team was despite his preference _not_ to try out. But the taller teenager had gotten so happy about it, one warm smile broken across his lips,that Tsuna couldn't resist.

He gulped as Yamamoto casually mentioned hurdles. Hopefully they were going in the right direction. The Namimori Apartment Complex sign shined omnisciently in the moonlight. Gokudera was the one to halt, blinking in sudden surprise before they continued. Tsuna failed to notice Yamamoto giving the silver-haired teenager a knowing look before Tsuna froze in front of the stairs.

He.

Did.

Not.

Want.

To.

Go.

Up.

There.

With a sigh, the teenager hesitantly put one foot in front of the other and disliked the creak he could hear. Unfortunately, both Yamamoto and Gokudera were determined to completely escort him home, and they stood parallel to Giotto's front door. Tsuna raised his fist to knock, but didn't get the chance.

"Tuo fratello non è ancora a casa! Perché non sei preoccupato?"

Gokudera crinkled his nose. "Is this your apartment?"

"I-I'm living with my brother," Tsuna murmured softly. From the sounds of it, he had a feeling that G was over.

"Then your brother's wondering where you are." He highly doubted that.

Tsuna looked up in curiosity. Yamamoto explained it. "Gokudera's half Italian."

"Stop urlare. Noi non siamo sposati."

From the looks of it, whatever Giotto responded with was absolutely hysterical. Gokudera broke into the first grin Tsuna had seen all day, amusement written across his face, but he was too scared to ask why.

With a deep breath, the brunet knocked on the door. It whirled open, barely missing the chance to slap Tsuna in the face. The teenager let out a girlish squeak before he was met with large, frustrated red eyes and a crimson mop of hair. G bit his cigarette between his teeth, scowling just like Gokudera had done before he let out a sigh of relief.

"That's where you were." G's mouth shut into a straight line before he looked to both Yamamoto and Gokudera. He arched a wary eyebrow. "You made friends."

"Yeah." Tsuna gulped. He was doing too much of that today.

"It was fun, Tsuna. How about we hang out, same time tomorrow?" Yamamoto broke into a smile, softly chuckling before turning to the stairs.

"Yeah…yeah, that'd be great." A sigh of relief left the brunet's throat and they said their goodbyes. G ushered him inside, disapproval written across his face.

"You had us scared half to death!" G muttered a curse under his breath and slammed the door in aggravation.

Giotto rolled his eyes. "You had _him_ worried half to death." That being said, the tall blond stood to his feet, long legs beautiful as usual before he strutted to his room and slammed the door behind him.

Tsuna sighed. Nothing's changed, he supposed. G didn't seem the least bit surprised, but didn't appear angry, either.

"You hungry? I know a good sushi place."

"Uh, sure." He broke into a smile, ready to leave the house as soon as possible. In the furthest part of his mind, the brunet suddenly realized he hadn't taken a shower since the day before, and he also needed to find a way to call Enma.

But, he thought as G reluctantly smiled back and opened the door to the path of his car, his anxiety could wait. Food came first.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

So I bet you didn't notice my wall of replies in the beginning. Bet you _seriously_ didn't notice. Haha, just kidding; but it's something that I saw another writer do and I thought it was cool. It's like…a wall of happy posts. Instead of the wall of shame, it's the wall of people-who-zeph-thinks-is-the-bomb-diggity. Thanks for all of your reviews, and you guys are seriously making this super fun to write. We have a long way to go, and I wanted to clarify some things:

Yes, this _is_ a Giotto/Tsuna story, which means they get together eventually. Not now, but soon. Because I'm slow and torturous and gonna have them get along before anything kissy goes along. Nine months; you can wait that long, can't you?

This is not an Enma/Tsuna story. They're just super close, like yerr bff Jill. Nothing more than that; but they're so close they're like sisters instead of brothers. I swear, it's nothing further than that, and Enma gets his own stuff later. Did you guys enjoy the 8059? Well if you didn't, tough. I like it. Oh sillies, you make me happy. Anyway, thanks so much and…can anyone guess who Gokudera's girlfriend is?


	4. couches and compromise

**Mirriox** Haha. Isn't it a little weird that Gokudera and Tsuna don't get along? Truth be told if we were to put them in a room together, mafia business aside, I doubt Gokudera would get along with him right off the bat. **Kanberry** We'll see. ;D I see Giotto pretty fluent in many languages—but then again out of the two of us, only one of us knows what he does for a living. Gokudera and Shitt P…that would be an interesting couple. I like her, actually. xD **ayumistar00 **update is here. Thank you for the review! **lemonlimediddies **Thank you very much! Tsuna and Yamamoto are such good friends. Heehee. **Metamorcy **it's been requested a few times…but I'm really thinking about doing a 2700 story. My only problem is I'm trying to see how to write it. It's planned out (the beginning, anyway), so I'm hoping it turns out well…and I hope all of you read it! **milostudio **B'aww, I like Shitt P. Some people are like, "Could you give her some hair or something?" But hey, that's just what makes her different. G and Gokudera…aren't half-brothers. But maybe they're related later for some issue.; Maybe. Heehee. **Nimrodo** I'm glad you like it; they're going to be close friends. My writing style is missing something? Aw, you make me sad. :C But don't run away; I need you to make me smile every time you review. :D **Queen Phantomhive **You hate Giotto? You'll like this chapter. C: Pitiful in a good way or a bad way? Haha; they're going to be fun to mess with, really. I love them to death. Oh Takeshi Yamamoto, woe is me. ;D **copycat-capycot **YOU KNOW THE MORE YOU COMPLAIN THE MORE I'MMA SHOVE IT IN YERR FACE JUST TO AMUSE MYSELF. Teehee. Tsuna is going to develop a fear of stairs in no time, unfortunately. Gokudera is…Gokudera. In a parallel universe, methinks he would be very pissed at this Gokudera and try to kill him. Ahurrhurr. Now you know that whenever I face a cliché, I tend to twist it. You'll just have to read this chapter and see what happens. **plummy-kins **Haha you sound so excited; that's awesome. Enma and Tsuna are one of my OTPs, so you'll see a lot of fluff. Platonic fluff. Is that an oxymoron I smell? Kyoko, Kyoko…where for art thou, Kyoko? DENY THY FATHER AND REFUSE THY NAME—cough. **Breathless02** Giotto may or may not warm up to Tsuna; it's just alllll up to him. Heehee. Thank you for the review! **Shi T3nshi** Sweeeet. That means I got my message across. There will be some bonding between the two, whether they like it or not; and I'm glad you like the chapter! **marsnmonkey **the more I write about him, the more likeable he seems, eh? And si. I think his papa owns the only sushi place in town. Heehee. **–Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **It doesn't mean tuna. At least, I don't think it does. It's just the way it is, y'know? Sort of a, "Oh, you look like a Tsuna" kind of deal. **HetChrome** Haha, what's wrong if Gokudera's girlfriend is haru? I mean, it _is_Yamamoto who he ends up with anyway, right? Enma and G are great characters. I love them. As for Giotto…we'll find out soon enough. You're welcome! **sender unknown **Thank you for the compliment; and I go by Zeph. C: I'm always worried about whether or not I portray Tsuna right. He's very cute, but not a cutesy character, y'know? Idk. We'll just have to see if I'm doing it right later. C': **A cat named puppy **aww, that's so sweet. They're just good friends; but I do have them planned. Enma is merely a plot device in the world known as Zeph's dollhouse. Mwahaha. Gokudera and Tsuna's friendship…can we say one of the funnest things to write? Heehee. Thanks for the review! **RoxasIsReal13** Are the characterizations believable? That's all I can ask for. I hope you review next chapter, too! **Faust's Oblivion** You're welcome. C: No wonder Tsuna's confused with his sexuality. Everyone keeps treating him like a _girl_! I can't wait to hear from you again! **SoulReaper Rukia** Whatcha mean go figure? Am I speeeecial? ;D Idk. Enma. G. connection. Si. Maybe they end up together. Maybe they don't. Maybe I'm totally just distracting you so I can steal your cupcakes. Whoops. Reborn…Reborn, Reborn, Reborn. And who may that be? whistlewhistlewhistle. **Fire Princess21** Aw, you're fine hon. Thanks for the review, and I hope you do well in school! **Lenah-1827** I REFUSE. C': But you can read and make your guesses as you please. And you're welcome. Byebyekissuu. **raccooncity** maybe your'e right. Maybe you're wrong. Maybe I'm totally not gonna tell you so I can steal yerr wemman and bebbies. **373** Would you like a napkin with that drool? :D **SeeminglyAdorable** I'm going to see whether or not I can just update once a week. Yay for G27! **C h r o m a TIXX** Sisisi. So ironic that Gokudera is so crabby to him, eh? Thanks for another good review!

**chapter four has** couches and compromise.

"You're late again."

"Oh, uh. Sorry." Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts, slowly hearing the door creak as he shut it behind him. Two days had passed, going by much faster than he anticipated. He now had a habit of waking up close to seven and had been using the bathtub as a makeshift bedroom. His stuff was by the couch like it had been since day one.

He would simply wake up in the morning, grab a new pair of clothes, and head out the door to the sushi bar. Somehow after a day of smelling like old sushi and wretchedly embarrassing body odor, both Yamamoto men insisted he showered at their place. Yamamoto insisted on being his friend, which followed with a pouty Gokudera. He would never understand _why_ the silver-haired teenager despised him so much—other than one theory, but he refused to test it without the proper equipment and in walking distance of a hospital.

Hard eyes stared at him and a golden blond eyebrow was arched. Giotto's mouth fell open crookedly and he only rolled his gaze. He looked to the deck of cards that sat on the table before sighing.

Tsuna stood there awkwardly, shifting between his feet and debating whether or not to peel off his shoes and find somewhere to sit. Only three other people could be seen crouched over Giotto's coffee table. He could recognize one as G, who cocked a brow the second he walked into the room before hesitantly returning to the game. One of the men strangely reminded him of Ryohei-senpai, and the other of Yamamoto himself.

Leaning over the kitchen counter, Tsuna squeezed Enma's teddy bear in his sweatshirt pocket. He'd been out for the past few nights because he spent the time talking to said redhead on the phone. His main goal was to get a stable job before going to school—he and his brother could live as two civilized people sharing one apartment. If he had to pay Giotto in order to prove they didn't have to have some cliché brotherly bond, than he would.

He was so deep in thought that he barely registered the obnoxious snap of a beer can. A mop of red hair caught his eye before he looked up. G smiled softly and leaned against the kitchen sink. "What's up, kid?"

"I'm finding it really hard to hate him." Tsuna blew a bang out of his face before he paused.

G arched an eyebrow. "Your brother?"

"What? No. I could never hate him!" Brown eyes widened in surprise at even the mention of that. Red flourished across his cheeks and he violently shook his head. "O-One of my uh…friends. Gokudera-kun."

"You're kidding." G chugged down what seemed like over half the can. Fortunately for Tsuna, his tolerance level was a lot higher than that natural scowl implied. "You've been with your brother for days. I'm with the guy—I'm his fucking co-partner, Tsuna. And I keep more tabs on you than your brother does."

"W-Well, I-I…" Speaking of tolerance levels… Tsuna gulped and ran a hand through his hair. It wasn't as if he couldn't handle it. Social isolation was all it was. Once he moved in with Giotto, it was as if his entire life changed. His social life wasn't out to kill him, and the life he led at home had stunk of a murderous intent than all of the mafia bosses on TV combined.

He liked his social life. He liked the fact Yamamoto was willing to listen to everything he said, despite his hesitation toward it, and he was convinced Enma actually talked _more_ since they couldn't face each other. Giotto was like his bully and Yamamoto was like his mother. It made sense. Kinda.

With a soft sigh, Tsuna leaned into the kitchen sink and wryly wondered if he could sneak a sip of G's alcohol. "He's just a little weird."

"Oh?" G set the can down for a moment.

"I don't really know. I mean…I think…" God, this was hard. Tsuna's face twisted uncomfortably as his mind lingered around the subject of one Hayato Gokudera. The green-eyed teenager was a ticking time bomb—and had a very short fuse. He spoke somewhat kindly of his girlfriend, even though Tsuna had yet to meet her, but acted really protective of Yamamoto. He first assumed it was because they'd known each other so long, but the way Gokudera actually went at it…

Reminded him vaguely of when Aoba-kun beat up a guy for making a move on a girl he liked. _A lot._

B-But sexuality was a really sensitive subject. Tsuna refused to bring the subject up whenever it came to Yamamoto and Gokudera. They fought back and forth like an old married couple, and it didn't take a genius to realize how head-over-heels in love Yamamoto was in for the guy. He hoped. Tsuna scratched the shell of his ear. Love wasn't particularly a subject he was good at talking about.

"Your brother will come around." Wait, what? G thought they were still on his brother? The redhead only patted him on the head like a small puppy before a smile spread across his face. Maybe he _was_ a little drunk. "Bought you a burger. Same place as always."

"Thanks. Oh, G-san." Tsuna looked up, eyes widened with curiosity. "Do you know if there are any places around town that are hiring?"

"What do you need the job for?" G arched an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Um, stuff." To call Enma and pay back Yamamoto for insisting to take him to places that required money. Shifting between his feet, Tsuna hid his hands in his pockets as red scattered across his cheeks. He smiled gently and shrugged. "I just want something to occupy the time with."

G blinked. "You are a sixteen-year-old kid with a dickhead of a brother who's richer than all of Japan combined. Why the hell would you need money?"

"To occupy the time. F-For the accomplishment and…stuff…" The poor brunet's voice trailed off and he looked to the ground. He didn't want to admit his fear of Giotto to Giotto's _best friend_ of all people.

"I'll look around." Unfortunately, it seemed as though the older redhead man could read straight through him.

Reddening a bit, Tsuna muttered a thank you and noticeably passed the room in order to feed the fish. Despite how _pretty_ the inside of the apartment looked, it was small. The teenager assumed that before he came into the picture, Giotto would normally eat out or eat on the couch next to his lovely big screen TV. There was only one bathroom, one bedroom, one living room, and one kitchen. All of which were horribly small and too cozy. He felt eyes observe his every body movement before an irate G demanded they played something else.

And he desperately decided not to pay attention when they all decided on some declaration of strip poker. Luckily Giotto stopped them, mumbling something incoherent under his breath before they decided on _normal_ poker.

Somewhere through it all, Tsuna was able to entertain himself with the fish. He would perk occasionally when the phone would ring, but it only lasted twice, and none of the men bothered to get it. He wanted to make a mad dash for his bathroom-bedroom, but didn't want to humiliate Giotto in front of his friends.

So he decided to name the fish Girlsname and Boysname, because one of them was pinkish and the other was blue. He had a blue blanket when he was born and was certain baby girls had pink blankets. He poked the fish tank occasionally before leaning back and sitting on the floor. The teenager was so enthralled by his successful names that he barely registered the door shutting for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

The lights shut off, and he heard the door shut again. Finally. Sighing, the teenager stripped of his sweatshirt—

"We need to have a talk."

"Eek!" The same garb was stuck over his head. He wrestled out of it, weakly flailing in order to get it off before a strong pair of hands forced him to stand still and yanked the sweatshirt across the room with ease. Honey-like eyes ignited with a curious allure, lips still put into a frown. Tsuna gulped and looked to the ground as he forced the red to stay away from his face. "I-I'm sorry."

"Why." For even being born? For interrupting an apparent poker night with Giotto's friends? Wasn't it obvious? Giotto grabbed him by the arm and forced the young brunet on the couch. "You act like I'm going to kill you."

He wasn't far from it when they were little. Tsuna's eyes fell to the glass coffee table as his hand clutched his scarred abdomen. "I'm not going to get in your way."

"It's like you're not even here with how early you leave."

"Why does it m-matter?"

"Because I'm smarter than the average bear." Tsuna bit the inside of his mouth in order to keep himself from laughing. The blond stood parallel to his brother, eyes half-lidded and mouth pulled into a disapproving frown. "Curfew is ten."

Eh? "I-I always come home around seven though."

"Good. Then you're already following one of my rules. Don't look at me like that." How could he _not_ look terrified with a man who had years of practice in looking so calm? Tsuna gulped, hands clasped together where his sweatshirt pockets would normally be. Instead, he wadded his hands up like a prisoner. "You make it hard to hate you."

Funny. He was having the same conversation about Gokudera with G not too long ago. Maybe it _was_ genetics.

"I'm serious." Giotto crossed his arms, but the apathy did not leave his demeanor. If anything, his face became more somber; more directed at Tsuna himself. "You probably think I think—'damn, I'm stuck with this stupid brat for his first year of high school.' And I did. Still do, to an extent, but you go out too much. You're not allowed to leave the house until I wake up. That's about 8:30AM, understood?"

"Th-That's when school starts."

"Then for the rest of the week, you're not allowed to leave the house until I wake up. You can do whatever the hell you want when school starts—so long as you're back by curfew," Giotto added wryly. He arched an eyebrow at the unsettling demeanor plastered across the young teenager's face. "You always leave early, come back late, and I've not once seen you in this household between dawn and dusk.

"You don't look like the type of boy who would leave the house and not give a crap what happens—I would know this because you leave a note near my phone every morning.

"You stammer when you talk, and you look at the ground whenever I'm talking to you—like you're just some pathetic lowlife that doesn't deserve to be born. And you sleep in my bathtub." Giotto arched a wary eyebrow and gestured to the couch. Tsuna gulped. He noticed? "Is something wrong with that couch?"

"U-Uh…" It was a pressing subject he was able to avoid. He hadn't actually thought about it until Giotto forced him to sit on the couch.

"Well?"

"I-I found a condom." Tsuna's face reddened. He wadded the tail of his t-shirt up into a ball and looked to the ground, utterly embarrassed. "I-It was a used."

"…oh."

An awkward silence followed. The teenager's bare foot hit a stable part of the table, and he yelped in pain. Hesitantly looking up, he was met with Giotto, who was frozen in the same stance he had been for the past twenty minutes. Red dusted across the blonde's cheeks cheeks, eyebrows raised until they were melded to his forehead, and lips crooked flusteredly.

Giotto wasn't some cool, suave king who thought he could get everything he wanted. So he _really_ must not have expected those words to come out of Tsuna's mouth.

That alone was enough to dumbstruck the young brunet. He picked at the couch cushion before stopping; fearing he could end up finding something else that belonged to Giotto—_and to Alaude-san. _

Giotto mumbled something under his breath, but Tsuna was too scared to ask. Instead, the blonde shifted his attention until their eyes were glued onto one another. "I'm your guardian for the time being."

"I-I…I know."

"We don't have to like each other," Giotto muttered pensively, "but we have to get along."

"A-Are we going to do some…b-brotherly bonding?"

"Of course not." That being said, the blond immediately tensed in his form. He threw his head high in the air before rolling his eyes and strolling toward his room. When the door shut, Tsuna immediately took it as a sign their conversation was over and he was free to sleep in the bathtub—until the door opened completely again, and the older man revealed a pillow and duvet.

He chucked it at the teenager, eyes glimmering with the same mystery from their first meeting, and rested nimbly against the door frame.

All the while, Tsuna stared back before he tentatively wrapped himself in the comforter like a caterpillar in a cocoon. The lights shut off again and he hesitantly scooted his pants off until they were at his feet. His eyes rose until they met Giotto's gaze.

Amber eyes flickered in the moonlight. "We'll get a new couch tomorrow."

A new couch? He opened his mouth, tempted to ask why not just get a bed so he could sleep in, but remembered how tiny the apartment really was. There would be no extra room to put it in. Either Giotto already realized this or he was still absorbed in his own little world about who Tsuna really was. Still… "Thank you."

It was the fire in Giotto's eyes. It flickered, one strong flame against the other as they looked out to Tsuna. They were the best qualities in the man. Little did Tsuna know, they would become more enticing with months to come. With a light nod, Giotto replied. "No problem."

The door shut behind him as they respectively separated. Tsuna twisted around in his cocoon, feeling almost sorta kinda like he was at home.

OoOoO

Tsuna still woke up earlier than Giotto. He couldn't fathom why, but assumed it was because he wasn't used to his surroundings just yet. Despite the exhaustion causing his head to ache, the teenager immediately darted from the couch and looked around in mild curiosity to remember where he was. He checked his watch, quick to note that it was only 7:31AM, and rolled out of bed.

Before loudly falling into the floor with a horrible squeak.

The teenager clasped a hand over his mouth, surprised he had done something so stupid before completely getting out of his shell. He sighed and softly rubbed the bruises that dare formed, but noticed he had gotten comfortable with the couch.

Soon he could only swallow harshly and nervously paced the room. Giotto would not wake up for another hour. He looked around the apartment in attempt to find something to do, but couldn't decide as to what.

Finally Tsuna hopped onto the couch, nestled tight in his couch cushions and decided to see if he could fall asleep again.

What he didn't expect was for a second later for the door near the foot of the couch to open, and a mess of blond hair to fall out. He caught his breath, caramel eyes looking through the pile of blankets in surprise. Giotto's eyes were squinted, unused to the glimmer of a good Tuesday morning. He smoothed out the wrinkles in his robe, looked over his shoulder at the mound known as his brother, and preceded to the kitchen.

"I know you're awake." Unlike before, Giotto's voice was a mumble. It was barely audible, but held some fiery strength significant to the young adult's features. He tore open one of the cabinets, and Tsuna took idle time to sit up in bed.

How did he…?

"Do you have a question?"

Tsuna gulped. His entire body automatically tensed and fingers dug into the comforter, but it wasn't…_comforting._ Giotto's tone was directed at him; no one else. Despite an early morning grouch the adult appeared to be, the same curiosity still glimmered in the jewel of amber eyes.

His face turned pink and he shrugged. Giotto only pushed further. "Well?"

"H-How..." Tsuna whispered softly. His voice was suffocated by the awkward tension passing from brother to brother. "How did you know I was awake?"

"I just did." Giotto's accent was barely there. The brunet faintly wondered whether or not if by will if the blond was able to make it appear or disappear. In a skeptical breath, said adult muttered something in his feathery native tongue and arched an eyebrow. "Do you want to turn on the TV?"

Which really meant, _Could you do something about this awkward silence?_ Tsuna nodded quietly and reached for the remote under the coffee table. He began flipping through the channels before settling on cartoons.

"You can raid my fridge anytime you want."

"Oh, uh. Okay." But he wasn't feeling parched. From the corner of his eye, he could see Giotto arch a golden eyebrow, but decided to ignore it.

"You can use my shower," Giotto continued in his soft tenor, "any time you want, too."

"Wh-Who says I don't shower?"

"My light ears and how fast the door slams." The adult remained rather composed while embarrassment was written all over Tsuna's face. Still, altogether, it was surprising how his brother could do a complete one'eighty and be the one trying to strike a conversation. The thick tension between them was all too suffocating against his nerves. "You scream a lot."

Tsuna was silent to that. He looked to the screen, pretending to be enticed by all of the talk of arcobaleno, babies, and some wimpy kid who reminded him faintly of himself who didn't want to be a mafia boss. Scratching his head, they continued in silence as Giotto's soft clicks of whatever he was doing in the kitchen. Hesitantly, he slipped out of the couch with far better grace than he had all morning, and went to his luggage.

"You sleep in your boxers." It was a statement, not a question. The brunet was getting a lot of that nowadays.

Heat pressed against the hairs on the back of the brunet's neck. He swallowed softly and noticed that indeed, he had slipped out of his pants before he went to bed. Somehow he was swept in the moment but…it was no big deal. He hoped it wasn't. Giotto at that very moment was in his robe, and was probably in the same exact thing.

Unfortunately it caused the blood to rush to his face more than necessary, and he stole one last glimpse to the man preoccupied with making breakfast for himself to notice. Forcing the zipper to his suitcase open, the teenager pulled out a pair of fresh jeans, clean underwear, and whatever else would be necessary for his survival. Quickly blinking, he paled as he realized he was down to the last pair he'd packed for his trip. He would need to do his laundry before the next time he changed his clothes.

That wasn't good. Tsuna's eyes rose to Giotto, who stared at him expectantly.

B-But he couldn't ask to go to the Laundromat. He couldn't just waltz over there, ask for money, and have clean clothes. Softly biting his lip, his eyes fell back to the bag before he stopped _yet again._ Was it polite of him to impose and ask for a tow—?

"I have five towel sets." Giotto cut him off as if he already knew what the problem was. He leaned over the kitchen counter, amusement and irritation both visible in his orbs. "They're under the sink. Now stop being such a worrying pansy and take a shower."

"Al…right." Tsuna's eyes doubled in size with surprise. He slowly nodded yet again before stalking off to the bathroom and contemplated whether or not to lock the door. Then shook his head. It was like Giotto insisted last night; it had to come down to compromise, and he couldn't let every decision affect him strangely. With a soft sigh, he locked the door and turned the shower nozzle on.

Clothes were shed into a small pile in front of the tub—a habit he'd grown up with in order to keep the floor from getting wet. With that, he hopped into the tub and did his thinking.

He went two days without showering, originally. The first night he arrived at Namimori and the day after. Once the day was over and their friendship was established, Tsuna shyly made his way to Yamamoto Sushi for the second morning, and Yamamoto was the one who insisted he use the taller teenager's shower. It was something about Yamamoto, which made the young brunet both relieved and worried.

Their meeting wasn't one he expected. After all, the guy was so hard on himself when it came to baseball. From what he now knew, Yamamoto aspired to be a professional baseball player ever since the age of four, so it was a hard loss. _Still._ Peering up to the white ceiling, Tsuna could only fold his arms and contemplate. His broken arm didn't make sense—how could someone who had such a good record in the past suddenly have one screw up—a very _simple_ one, no doubt?

It was strange. Yamamoto was able to be all smiles when it came to the shorter teen, but was intense when it came to Gokudera-kun. That same intensity was what caught Tsuna's attention when they first met each other. What was it about Gokudera that drove him over the edge? And the silver-haired teen in return…they were like lovers who just broke up with each other.

Bah. Tsuna shook his head against the droplets of water trickling through his hair. He oddly ran a hand through a tangled mess. It wasn't his business to butt into. His thoughts then shifted back to his brother. Everything about his brother was wrong.

Well, not everything. But majority ruled.

All of the rules were common rules. From day one, Tsuna expected Giotto would want to act as if their relationship hadn't changed over the past ten years: separate from each other. Each boy had their own life to worry about, yet the blond was acting as he should; a guardian. Ten o'clock was a sensible curfew. Wanting to know where Tsuna was at all times was sensible.

Having sex with your boyfriend over the kitchen counter and acting like it wasn't anything was _not_ sensible.

To this, the teenager could only redden. His mind somehow concluded that his brother was a sex god waiting to get laid. He shut his eyes, shivering in an attempt to push the thought away, but the more he beckoned for peace, the more begrudgingly his mind shoved the thought he found his brother attractive in his face.

It was just a simple matter of blood, after all. But ten years was long enough time for neither to remember each other, and they never established such a bond. He softly gulped, a cold chill running up his spine as he thought of what he'd seen…that night…and this morning. Disheveled blond hair, smooth and eloquent peach skin…long legs that put a flamingo to shame.

He swallowed again, head resting against the tile wall. A shudder passed through his body, down between his legs and he shut his eyes tighter, halfheartedly trying to get his mind to shut up. The other half of his chest was throbbing, hypnotized by alluring, _crackling_ eyes and a pair of tight lips that never seemed to judge.

_Crud. _

Tsuna's eyes burst open, cheeks flourishing from a flustered red as he quickly flipped the nozzle and let cold water slap him in the face.

_Crud, crap, __**shit.**_

His eyes landed on the shameful arousal that decided to incapacitate him. They were supposed to bond _emotionally_, not…_physically._ He waited in the shower, shivering at the beads of cold water that shot against his hot body, and sighed in relief as it went away.

The teenager quickly jumped out of the tub and was bluer than the towel he chose from under the sink. He curled his entire body into it, still shivering, and sat there for what seemed like hours, but only lasted a few minutes. With that in mind, he slowly redressed himself, grabbed the pile of wet clothes near the tub, and walked out of the bathroom.

Giotto's face was the first thing to greet him. _Unintentionally._ Tsuna gulped as the young adult was crouched over the couch eating a bowl of cereal. Right beside him was another bowl, and Tsuna assumed it was for him.

He crawled onto the couch, body both cold and hot at the same time, before numbly sitting on the edge of the couch. There was a silence between them, and Tsuna quickly remembered what was between his hands. He shoved the wad of wet clothes in his bag and went back to the couch.

His brother sat there, still staring at the TV before he asked with light amusement, "You have my permission to brush your teeth."

"…" Red scattered across the teenager's face. He crawled back to his bag, stole his tooth brush, and scurried back to his only sanctity. Shutting the door behind him, Tsuna wiped the light fog away from the mirror and brushed his teeth without any problem.

When he returned to the living room, Giotto seemingly disappeared. He blinked, before sliding his sweatshirt over his head and finding safeness and warmth in his gloves. He slipped both mittens over his fingers and collapsed on the couch, where he proceeded with eating the rest of his bowl of cereal.

Giotto then appeared, and he had to gulp—_harshly_—as he saw the man for the first time, fully dressed, head held high, and very…_clean._ Tsuna looked back down, red blazing his ears, and could only tense when the same sparkling gaze caught his own.

In a suit.

Giotto was in a _suit._ Regal, aggressive, and domineering. Despite the contrast of physical appearance—groggily meshed blond hair, peach fuzz and scantily dressed in a short robe barely covering his butt (but then again, the guy also had some pants on, so he supposed it wasn't _too_ raunchy)—it was still held with the same intimidating serenity as Giotto was perceived with.

He was too ashamed to admit that Giotto was standing out just as he did the first night; very drop-dead-y and gorgeous. Gulping down the last of his cereal, he quickly checked his watch and noted that it was only 8:37AM. According to Giotto last night, the man barely woke up at this time. He picked up both dishes that were now only puddles of milk and went to the sink, where he immediately washed them and set them aside.

"Responsible kid," he heard the blond murmur. Giotto's nimble fingers easily fixed the tie around his neck before he looked up, eyebrow arched. "The weather it's seventy-three degrees outside."

"Yeah." Tsuna stammered. His entire face ultimately ignited, fighting against his urge to just _drool_ at the man. After all…_hormonal attack, much?_ Ridding his forehead of any sweat, he reached for the dish rag (or what he assumed to be) and began drying the dishes. It was then that he noticed the rest of the dishes, and grimaced. When was the last time Giotto had done some housework?

With Nana's blood running through him, his first instinct and priority to clean all of them. All the while, Giotto stood there and Tsuna wouldn't dare look him in the face.

"Stop."

He kept washing the dishes, hands under hot water as they continued scraping off food-stained plates until they were squeaky clean—

"Stop." This time, Giotto grabbed his arm. The gesture was gentle, but also very firm. Tsuna snapped out of his forced distraction for a brief moment, caramel-chocolate induced eyes were surrounded by the intense warmth and embers of Giotto's own. He caught his breath, halting from involuntary movements—_inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale._ Giotto, according to his best friend, G, was one who rarely showed emotions unless there was a problem. The closest to an actual temper tantrum that Tsuna assumed he was going to get was impatience.

And Giotto was one person who looked rather bothered by his notion. Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that what he was doing was perfectly fine. "I was just washing the dishes."

"You don't have to clean up my messes." There was more to what his brother was saying than hinted. He thought, anyway. Tsuna blinked, and for a brief moment Giotto seemed to have been facing inner turmoil before he shoved the hand aside and ran a hand through his golden tresses. "We're going shopping."

As in, Giotto and he together? He thought of every possible word in the dictionary, and faintly regretted not devoting his life to the study of Webster's Thesaurus. He opened his mouth to speak, but could only form one rather _odd_ sound from the bottom of his throat. "_…hiiiee?" _

"I said we were going to get a new couch." One pretty eyebrow was cocked before the adult professionally buttoned up his single-breasted pinstriped suit. "And…" Before he said anything further, the man only sighed with frustration before taking long, cool strides to the front door.

Tsuna gulped and took it as his silent cue to follow. Whatever Giotto was about to say was left in his mind, and the door was opened. And he remembered how damned he was, having to walk down the retched steps to hell.

A soft groan left his throat and the adult didn't have to think twice before he turned around, crisp orbs at the corner of the slits of his eyes with an arched eyebrow to boot. Red flurried across Tsuna's cheeks, but unlike him, the adult trudged down the steps with no true effort, car keys in hand. Tsuna gripped the sticky railing, one trembling foot casting to the next step before the other.

Sweat matted his brow despite his efforts to clean himself up, and he resisted all urges to collapse to the ground and kiss the dirt. His attention was then taken away to a high-pitched beep.

Then his jaw dropped to the ground.

Despite the fact he probably should have been used to it—_and he meant __**really**__used to it—_Tsuna was held-over-heels in love with the gorgeous Ferrari in the parking lot, parked perfectly under autumn shade. Giotto didn't spare him a second glance before he hopped into the vehicle and started the engine.

Not wanting a repeat of G and his Maserati Spyder, the young teenager shyly opened the door to the passenger seat and buckled himself in. When he looked up, the blond adult was still staring at him. Amber eyes quickly turned to the road, and that was the end of it. He pulled out of the parking lot without any complaints, and they approached seemed to be the first to be on the road.

Until Giotto made a sudden jerk, and from the corner of Tsuna's eye he saw a blue car nearly a yard away from them going the opposite direction. Giotto swerved, twisting the wheel for the life of him, and the startled teenager gripped the car seat for the life of him.

The car skidded in one direction, and the screech of tires hissed in Tsuna's ears. Finally they calmed down, on stable road with Tsuna as pale as a bed sheet.

Wh-What just happened?

From the corner of his eye, he saw the serene demeanor leave Giotto's face, and a scowl in its place. But…Giotto…wasn't the type of person…who let his emotions get the better of him…was he—?

"You **fucking** **dick** of a **dipshit****douchebag**!" Giotto opened the window and tossed his head out the car, anger burning darkly in his orbs. _"_You want a piece of this, you **shitheaded** **asshole**? I should shove your **fucking** steering wheel up your **ass** if you think you can drive your **shitty**__car down my **damn** lane!"

Another string of curses left the blonde's throat, language ranging from heavy Russian, spicy Italian, dirty English, saucy Spanish, et cetera.

Tsuna sunk in his seat.

Today he learned that his brother had hectic road rage and a colorful vocabulary most pirates would kill for.

OoOoO

"He's crazy."

"_Well—"_

"Enma! It was a whole ten minutes of driving just to get into the city! And the entire time, he was muttering all of these curses under his breath and yelling at the other drivers! He's totally, _completely_, and _utterly_ a maniac! But, but…he dresses so _smooth_ and is so primp and cut and you wouldn't expect it, but, but…gah! He hurts my head!" Tsuna clutched said cranium, squeezing locks of chocolate hair between his fingers before he took in a breath and shut his eyes.

It was quite possibly the longest ten minutes of Tsuna's life. The image he held so respectfully of Giotto of being a collected and disciplined was immediately warped once Giotto was put on the road—he had a creeping suspicion that the man normally did not drive himself, especially when Giotto answered G on his cellphone and told them they left the house early.

Giotto had left the car, grumbling about speed demons on the highway while Tsuna stumbled out. They walked for about an hour in crowded streets (too crowded to drive in, noted the brunet with relief) before Giotto brought them to a fine-looking furniture store. The teenager followed his brother like a lost puppy before being shooed away and suggested to play video games or something. Five hundred yen was deposited in his hands before Giotto pushed him out of the way to do his own work.

Tsuna decided to spend all of it to call Enma during his lunch break. Luckily the redhead had his own cellphone (one that was severely and _only_ used in emergencies) and he could call without worrying.

"_At least you guys are talking." _

He paused for a moment and realized he didn't recognize the way Enma was croaking rather than murmuring. Tsuna clutched the phone tightly between his fingers, frown worked across his face. It was hard. A week before school started in Namimori and he unexpectedly gained some social life, so calling his best friend was almost the last of his priorities.

The teenager missed being able to talk to his redhead friend face-to-face. He missed the one-on-one time; the uncertain smiles Enma would break into when Tsuna did something goofy. But Giotto was trying to be the one to compromise. Giotto wanted them to be on good terms with each other (something that shocked Tsuna because he swore the blond wanted him dead). If he asked, maybe Giotto would even let Enma come up for his birthday.

"Are you okay?" breathed the brunet. His caramel eyes flickered with concern, and he rested his head against the telephone line.

"_I'm fine."_ They both knew it was a lie. Now that the bullies lost half their merchandise, they probably ganged on Enma twice as much.

With a horrid sigh, Tsuna ran a hand through his hair and cursed the fact he wasn't able to see his best friend. "He um, just is a little rough around the edges. I didn't expect him to be so…pensive, but terse."

"_Tersely pensive. Must make for great conversation." _

Red scattered across the young teenager's face. Truth be told, their fullest conversation and only conversation would have been the one they had last night when establishing ground rules. Again, he hadn't expected for his brother to suddenly have an interest in him. And it was the only time the condom was ever brought up—hopefully _ever._

With that grim thought in mind, Tsuna tucked his free hand in his sweatshirt pocket and glanced over his shoulder. Giotto had the type of hair that made him visible for miles. It took less than a second for the teenager to lock onto his brother and watch the calmness of Giotto's demeanor contrast to his bratty attitude.

Funny. During that entire car ride, Tsuna felt a pull toward the adult. He tugged at the strings of his sweatshirt and looked up to the ceiling. The silence was awkward, and every time he opened his mouth the older man would turn his way expectantly and patiently. Which was weird. He wasn't sure if he liked it, but it wasn't like he _disliked_ it.

"_Tsuna?" _

"What? Oh, sorry." Tsuna blinked through his stupor, red crossing his cheeks. "Um, how's your family doing?"

"_Fine…"_ The redhead's voice sent chills down his spine with its level of crumbling. Enma's meek voice faded into a soft sigh. _"I-I have to go now. Lunch break is almost over."_

"Aw, alright." Tsuna clutched the phone tighter and rocked between his feet. "I'll call you when—"

"_B-Bye, Tsun—"_

A long, monotonous tone replaced Enma's voice. Brown orbs doubled in size, caught off guard. From the background he had been able to hear some rustling, but they couldn't have really… "Enma? Enma!"

Too late. Gone. He muttered a soft curse under his breath before slapping the phone in front of him and leaving the phone booth. He shouldn't have called Enma. He should have waited; waited until he knew Enma would be at home and reachable. Whoever was there could have jumped him from behind and it was all his fault if his best friend got hurt!

"Cripes," he sighed. His body wandered back into the store, mind on autopilot with all focus on one person: _Enma, Enma, Enma._ The boy had never been a talker. He never spoke, never did anything wrong, and always looked to the ground like he was a pathetic low-life. When he first found out about Enma's family life, he hadn't been far too happy. They were six, and neither knew the meaning of it. When they hit twelve, it became all too clear and from that point on Tsuna made it his duty to keep the boy safe. How he could he protect his best friend (despite his scrawniness) if he was all the way in Namimori?

His thoughts came to a halt and the teenager collided nose-first into his brother.

"Eek."

"'Took you long enough." Giotto's voice tingled in his ears. Looking up, Tsuna vaguely noticed the height difference between the two of them. Giotto was nearly a head taller, but not as tall as Yamamoto. The man held a cellphone between his fingers, and he arched an eyebrow. "You were hugging that phone for the life of you."

"Oh. Sorry I spent all your money."

"I gave you five hundred yen. That's not spending all of my money." The conversation was left at that. Giotto had murmured something about the couch showing up at their doorstep tomorrow morning, but Tsuna was too deep in thought. He had a feeling the blond sensed something off with him, but was being too nice.

They took a turn for the car, Giotto carefully navigating him in the right direction in order to get to the car. Once they got there, Giotto snapped and told him not to get into the car. Instead, the back hood was popped open, and the teenager's mouth fell in surprise. Giotto took out his grimy old bag, along with a bag full of other clothes—_when did that happen?_ His backpack was then dumped into the other heap of clothes.

The blond gestured to the many buildings without glancing over to Tsuna, and they continued silently.

"I-I don't have any money to—"

"I'm your guardian." The older sighed. Tsuna decided best to keep his mouth shut, for it sounded like his brother had lamented for the umpteenth time. The finally got to the Laundromat, and the blond spoke pleasantly to the old lady up front. They went to the back where an empty washer and drier could be seen next to each other before his brother eyed him again. "Separate or together?"

"Together saves money."

Somehow that only irked Giotto further. The man rolled his eyes, obviously irritated by Tsuna's silly insistence to save him money. He ripped the bag open along with two different washers and began separating their clothes. A pile of what appeared to be a mix of suits, whites, t-shirts, and a heap of jeans. The brunet opened his mouth to speak—_shouldn't you separate your delicates from your casuals?_—but decided not to bother. He contemplated going over and helping Giotto sort out their laundry, but was too afraid he would be denied that privilege.

Privilege. It made him sound like he was _devoted_ to some bountiful honor to do his own laundry. Rolling his eyes, Tsuna wandered to the bench and sat patiently while Giotto decided to go through his…things. Red flashed across his face, but he was too meek to bother. Instead, his hands fumbled for Enma's teddy bear. He sat it on his lap, delicately playing with the flower adorning its head. What had that girl…_Uni_ named it?

"Rossella." The name alone made him think of red roses. Red roses made Tsuna think of Enma's hair, which was layered like petals. He turned it in his hand, softly squeezing the bear. A soft sigh escaped his lips, and he checked his watch. It was barely past 12:30PM.

Enma was done with lunch, doing who-knows-what, and probably returning to class with Shitopi. He shivered at the mention of his friend's sister, and hugged the bear tightly. Examining the thread sewn precisely to fix the head, Tsuna confirmed that it was not a likely chance Rossella would be ripped to shreds again.

"We need more rules."

"What?" The brunet looked up, genuinely surprised at the flicker in amber eyes. Giotto's mouth was turned into a crooked frown, hands stuffed eloquently in his pockets. Tsuna swallowed a large lump in his throat and sat erect in his seat. What did he do _now_?

"Does your mother let you shower at home?"

"E-Eh…? Y-Yeah…"

"Does your mother let you fix breakfast for yourself?"

"Uh…"

"Let me rephrase that then. Does she let you touch the refrigerator, or do you need to ask?"

"Sh-She lets me…"

"And do you have to ask to shower, or does she just let you?"

"I-I go by myself…"

"Do you hesitate at home and quit before you're about to do it, or do you just do it?"

"U-Uh. Depends."

"We're stuck with each other for nine long months." Amber eyes narrowed at him distastefully, brow arched and arms crossed. "You understand that, correct?"

He didn't particularly like the way Giotto had said the word 'stuck.' It sounded too blunt. Truthful. Reality-esque. Cringing at the high demeanor his blond brother held above him, Tsuna could only nod and look to the ground in defeat.

"While I don't want you to unpredictably invite some of your friends over and throw a wild party," Giotto muttered in his soft tenor, "I don't want you to sit on the couch and debate whether or not to turn the TV on. And if you find yourself going to the bathroom in the middle of the night having to contemplate whether or not you may urinate _too loudly_, then be aware you've crossed the line."

Tsuna reddened. He wasn't particularly interested in discussing his urinating, as Giotto put it, with his brother. He looked to his shoes in attempt to keep himself distracted. "Anything else?"

"Too selfless. I'll tell you if you grind my gears." Giotto's hand twitched, and he hesitantly brought it out before casually petting Tsuna on the head. "Trust me."

The brunet gulped. His scalp tingled to the light, feathery touches of the older man's fingers. With a soft shiver, his hands curled into the seat under him and he nodded. "I trust you."

The hand quickly went away, and they stayed there in their own silence. All around them, washers and dryers were spazzing and accomplishing their assigned jobs while Giotto's eyes only gleamed with a captivating allure. Sweat matted Tsuna's brow, and he awaited the question he knew was on the tip of the blond's tongue—_Are you okay? _

Instead, it wasn't asked. Giotto sat beside him, suddenly enticed by a caller on his phone and for a whole forty minutes they sat in peace. Tsuna stood up once, popping what leftover change Giotto had given him for the supposed arcade in front of the furniture store into the coin deposit of both dryers. He sorted out what was delicate and casual before flinging a wad of their combined delicates in one pile and casuals in another. It wasn't hard. The only thing 'delicate' that Tsuna owned were his pair of mittens, and they were tucked safe in his sweatshirt pocket.

All the while, he ignored the fact Giotto's eyes were prodding his backside. Red scattered across his cheeks at this fact, and he shut both dryers before obediently taking a spot next to Giotto. Their thighs touched. Both recoiled and scooted away from each other.

He stole a glance at the pithy blond, then played with Rossella. A soft smile spread across his face.

After the laundry was done drying through an hour of awkward silence, Tsuna raced to the dryer. Despite the fact Giotto _insisted_ he be more selfish, he wasn't one who let another do something for them without paying back. He stacked the clothes as his mother would do, organizing them by importance before tying the bag.

Giotto stood in front of him, eyes glued to his form. Red burned the poor brunet's cheeks until he realized Enma's teddy bear was between the other's grasp. The blond handed it to him without a word and pulled out his keys. "Time to go."

Oh dear god. "C-Could I drive?"

"You have your license?"

"I have my permit." It was a hard debate. He didn't want to end up wrecking a gorgeous Ferrari, but he was closer to death with Giotto and his hell-bent driving competency, or there lack of.

The blond only arched an eyebrow, lips tightened straightly before he grabbed the trash bag full of laundry and tossed Tsuna the keys.

Surprisingly enough, the two boys made it home both alive, and pirates wouldn't fear them. Tsuna made a flustered mental note to call Enma sometime that night to tell him maybe, just _maybe_ living with Giotto wouldn't be as bad as he thought. So long as _he_ did all the driving.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

So it comes to my attention that I screwed up all the dates. No, srsly. Like, I forgot my track of time and was writing this chapter as Saturday until I skimmed the first chapter again. My bad; so that makes…in the storyverse, _tomorrow _that Tsuna starts school. Because I'm just a total moron, but eh. It took me some time debating whether or not I should go along with what I've already written, but we're gonna be thorough with dates instead. So, who expected for Giotto—as Tsuna puts it—to pull a complete one'eighty and be the one to confront him?

Despite the cliché storyline, I have specific characterization with all my characters. And Giotto's is sort of unfolding. Actually, no he's not. We've yet to even touch the pretty blond strip of origami known as Giotto. :B You'll like him for chapters to come and…I really just hope they're not out of character when I write them. I want to make sure their characterization is positively correct when I go at them. Anyway, reviews would be nice!

PS. I CHALLENGE **C H R O M A TIXX** TO BE MY 110TH REVIEWER. If she is my 110th, then I shall write you guys an awesome smutshot. Help her out, guys! C':


	5. teachers and bullies

**HetChrome **BECAUSE 110 IS A SUPER AWESOME NUMBER. HARHARHAR. My favorite part about this incarnation of Giotto is the fact he sucks at driving. And I didn't know if this would be the right chapter to spring it on you guys. Hehe. YOU ARE WELCOME. C: **sender unknown **Aw, just work your way up? My chapters used to be no longer than 500 words when I was first starting out, haha. me = fail. **Tharrow** I'm glad you like it! Thank you for the review! **nuvola-cielo **I update once a week, or at least try to! C: **kikyokyoyahibari **Haha. you'll just have to wait and see! Yup, he's a rich kid, but you know Tsuna. Would rather be broke then steal all his brother's money. Hehe. **ayumistar00 **Thank you for the review, enjoy the next chapter! **RoxasIsReal13** That's good. Thanks for the review! **LoverOfTheDark14** Cute little Tsuna? Aw. I'm glad you love the story! C:** Nimrodo** I'm glad you liked the chapter. And thank you for not running away! Hehe. **D isengaged **Thank you! Characterization is very important to me! :D **marsnmonkey **Giotto is of course, more forward than Tsuna is. He's till that meek little kid and stuff, y'know? Giotto…naked Tsuna…hehehe. Enjoy the update! p**lummy-kins **REBORN WILL BE HERE SOON. I SWEAR. PROMISE. EVERYTHING. And that's good. C; **Tangerine342** Enma…Oh, Enma, my love…why do you have to be evillll. And Giotto seriously could have cleaned the couch. But obviously he didn't. I'mma guess he didn't want to look at that couch every morning and realize his brother is sleeping in a local hotspot sexcouchbedthinger. Haha. **Metamorcy** yes we did! Enjoy the next chapter! **Shi T3nshi **Thanks you for the review. I'm glad you liked the chapter! **copycat-capycot **D8 TSUNA CAN'T DRIVE WITHOUT A LEGAL ADULT IN THE CAR. I THINK. The condom dialogue was actually a little weird before the revisions. And Alaude…hmm, where _did_ he run off to? YAY STALKER CLUB. G is an awesome character; I love him so much. AND YES TO MARRIAGE COUNSELING. Wait did I just say that? Oops, haha. **milostudio **He won't get a cellphone soon, I'm afraid. But the gap in between is pretty sad. C: **FaerieDemon **Aw, that's fine. And si, Tsuna has already come out of the closet in the story, but it's not like he had the "gay" talk with anyone, if you get what I'm saying. So yeah, Enma knows. :D **Kanberry** SHE DIIID IT. CUE THE DORA SONG. WE DID IT, WE DID IT, HOORAY (SOME SPANISH WORD ZEPH DOESN'T KNOW) **HikariYamino** Maybemaybe. You'll just have to wait and see, silly. :D **Queen Phantomhive** Giotto ain't some sauve bastard. Those kinds of guys are boring and too predictable. Hehehe. Somehow, I don't see Tsuna being the one to compromise so easily with Giotto. C': **PirateCaptainBo** I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next one! **ToniChanLovesCookies** I'm really glad you like it then, that's the most flattering thing I love to hear! C: Aw, Tsuna's sixteen. So he's a horndog. Obviously. Hehehe. **Breathless02** They're still getting used to each other, unfortunately. Tsuna is a more efficient driver than Giotto. Go figure, huh? And thank you for the compliment again! **nana **I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next chapter! **thepieh0le **I'm really glad that you're able to read it so easily, that's great. Enjoy the next chapter! **Lenah-1827** Dude. You just reminded me I need to do my laundry today. Lmao. You'll just have to see what happens. Kiss bye bye. C: **C h r o m a TIXX YES YOU TOTALLY COMPLETED MY CHALLENGE AND I'M HIGHLIGHTING YOUR NAME BECAUSE YOU ARE SO TOTALLY COOL. Tsuna and Giotto have fun chemistry. And I hope you enjoy the smutshot! I made it long! hinamori **You'll just have to wait and see! **Urge2Kill** Shy Tsuna is just lucky he's absolutely adorable. Haha. **LeSinner** I'm glad you like it! C: **Fire Princess21** You're good, sweetie! And yup, they sorta kinda broke the ice! Haha **Kichou **I'm glad you like it. Enjoy the next chapter!** –Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **I'm glad you like it so far! Enjoy the next chapter! C:

**chapter five has** teachers and bullies.

"Did you just get home? I'm going out."

"What? Uh, yeah." Red scattered across the brunet's cheeks and he squeezed the teddy bear in his sweatshirt. Come to think of it, his sweatshirt was the only thing he didn't get a chance to clean while they were over at the Laundromat. If Giotto noticed, then he didn't bother to tell him. As soon as they got back, they'd separated whose laundry was whose and Yamamoto kidnapped him in order to pick up their school uniforms ("Haha, we were supposed to pick them up three weeks ago! Do you think they'll still let us in? Haha.") and after sorting everything out with a very angry (and scary) head of the disciplinary department, Gokudera joined them for ice cream.

It was nearly a quarter to ten, and he was face-to-face with a very annoyed Giotto. Tsuna hugged the wad of school clothes tightly in his free arm before peering up with his chest pounding nearly twenty-five thousand beats a minute. "I had to make a phone call to a friend."

Giotto examined those words differently as he pulled the blazer of his pin-striped suit over his dress shirt. "I see."

"Are you going somewhere?" Tsuna asked softly. Through all of the hustle of trying to get a new couch, he had all forgotten that school would restart for him tomorrow. Before today he was used to waking up as one occupant in a small apartment and leaving and going as pleased. Sort of. But it would be the first time he was alone in the adult's house without any supervision. "To…Alaude-san's?"

With a rigid halt, those amber eyes narrowed at him, eyebrows pulling together and mouth opening to a crooked grimace before Giotto continued. For a brief moment, Tsuna could have sworn he saw a blush. "We don't talk about my sex life in this apartment. New rule."

Tsuna blushed. "Don't you mean love life?"

Giotto was glowing, but irritably. "We don't talk about my relationships period. Understood? That's another new rule."

"S-Sorry." Tsuna shifted between his feet and hugged the wad of clothes tightly between his arms.

"Don't apologize if it doesn't seem sensible. Actually, don't apologize period." Again, Giotto's light tenor tingled in the brunet's ear. His voice was quiet, but very much brusque. Taken aback by such a request, the teenager only gulped and nodded. "I'll be back later tonight. There's some burger in the fridge you can eat."

The one he was supposed to eat the night before, but their confrontation caught him off guard. Along with that, he'd eaten sushi for the umpteenth time. Nervously smiling, Tsuna nodded. He had no chance to say another word as Giotto barged out the door and slammed it behind him. Soft creaks of steps filled his ears before fading, and the poor boy was left alone in his brother's apartment.

"Goodbye," he muttered softly. Tsuna looked over to the couch that would be replaced in the morning. Both the duvet and a pillow were meshed together in a small heap. The dishes were cleaned, floors were spotless, and even the bathroom looked decent. Everything was in place; all but the comforter. He first turned the TV on in order to rid them of the silence, but five minutes of Pokemon caused him to die of boredom.

Straightening out the school uniform, he casually placed it on the floor next to his bag of clothes. He took off both his sweatshirt and pants, rolling them up into a ball before squishing them as dirty laundry and cocooned himself with both the duvet and pillow. Tsuna had already eaten. He filled out a daily routine easily, like he would back home. But home had his best friend, baby brother, and loving mother.

This wasn't home.

OoOoO

Tsuna woke up with a fright. Yawning softly, he checked his watch and confirmed that it was only ten past seven. School didn't start until 8:30AM, so he had the choice of going to bed for another hour. Instead, his mind had other plans as he rolled off the couch, grabbed his new uniform, and locked himself in the bathroom in order to shower.

Nerves were eating at his chest. He would be going to _school_ again. M-Maybe he was overreacting just a tad bit, but…He softly gulped, index finger running down the small scare at his stomach, easily hidden if his pants were hiked high enough. But it wasn't like anyone would see it.

He nervously shifted between his feet, snapping out of his thoughts long enough to brush his teeth and stopped himself from turning the shower on.

"…_And if you find yourself going to the bathroom in the middle of the night having to contemplate whether or not you may urinate __**too loudly**__, then be aware you've crossed the line."_

His cheeks turned a bright shade of pink. Quickly jerking at the knob, water spewed out of the nozzle and he shed the last of his clothes before hopping in. He lived here now. With Giotto. _Together._

And he darn well best get used to it. The teenager pulled the shower curtain, suddenly noticing how unbearably small the tub itself seemed, and thanked luck that he was small enough to fit like a puzzle piece. The bathroom was clean, shiny, and magnificent.

Except for the soap scum and fungus that could be seen between tiles. "Eek—!" Tsuna shifted, heart thumping against his chest as he scooted closer to the mossy-looking curtains. Oh by the Gods…Nana would never let her house get so overturned by this much filth.

Come to think of it, Tsuna thought as he pushed a bang out of his eye and rinsed his hair with some odd shampoo-conditioner mix, Nana did a lot for him. She cleaned, cooked, nurtured, and did all of the housework. Twice, when Enma slept over. And he slept over almost once a week. The woman did a _lot_ for him.

"I should buy her something for mother's day," he muttered softly. The brunet suddenly snorted, casually rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his bare chest. Once he got a _job_, that is.

And school would be crud.

Nono, it'd be crap.

Scratch that. Shit. Tsuna nervously fumbled with the beads of water beating against his chest (he knew he was only prolonging the inevitable, but the more minutes he wasted, the more inviting the beads of H2O seemed against his body) and shut his eyes. He'd rinsed, lathered, and repeated. What he _hadn't_ done was think of how uncool Yamamoto would think he was after today.

He sucked at school work, was horrible in gym, was so much of a pathetic loser that his nickname was 'No Good Tsuna', and got beat up a lot. The only thing he was apparently good at was running, and Tsuna only had one definite direction: _away._

Turning the shower off, the poor brunet suddenly felt very cold. He grabbed a towel from under the sink, buried himself in cold warmth, and squeezed the water out from large brown tufts of poofy hair.

Yamamoto was his only friend. G-Gokudera-kun was sort of his friend too, he supposed, but the guy hated his guts. And Enma was across the country. With a soft groan he quickly dressed himself and brushed out any wrinkles from the night before. His hair was clean, teeth were brushed, and his feet…well, they looked fine.

But his pants were too loose. Tsuna softly cursed, pulling at the waistband in order to see how large the gap was between his waist and the khakis, before leaving the bathroom. It wasn't too large, fortunately. But there was no time like this where he wanted to be a girl—a girl with curves and hips that could fill the uniform better instead of an uncomfortable breeze sticking to the brunet's body whenever he walked because of the different size.

With a sigh, he could only roll his eyes before quickly grabbing Rossella from his sweatshirt, along with his mittens. His eyes wandered to the kitchen, searching for the cabinet filled with cereal that would satiate his stomach.

Despite Giotto's earlier claim that he could be crossing the line in his desperate attempt to stay on his brother's good side, the brunet couldn't help but feel the opposite. He slung the backpack over his shoulders before filling both of his canvas sneakers and halfheartedly shrugged. According to his watch, it was only a quarter to eight, which was long enough for him to grab a bite at Yamamoto's and see if he could use their phone to call Enma.

After all, he mused as he thought of what he could tell his best friend, how many kids got to say they were able to repeat the same school year—um, that year? Softly laughing, he snapped out of his ministrations as he realized he'd taken a comfy spot on the wall. His hand twitched as steps up the stairs could be heard, and paused. Had Giotto not come home last night?

Ever since coming back to the house, the teenager thought slowly as he eyed his elder brother's room, the door had been closed, even when the blond left. He said clearly that he would be home sometime late at night, if Tsuna called correctly.

S-So did Alaude-san…h-hold him up or something?

Red scattered across the teenager's cheeks. He had amble time to contemplate this, as the knob fidgeted, jingling as keys were forced through the lock. As the door opened, clumps of disheveled blond hair caught his eye. Tsuna swallowed saliva harshly as if it were a large lump piercing his throat. The elegant young man entered his apartment, fiery eyes rather calm and serene while his lips were tightly pressed together.

Until heated eyes made contact with sweet caramel-chocolate. Narrow lips parted, somewhat surprised but also visibly not, and a blond eyebrow arched. "You're leaving early?"

"Once I wake up I can't get back to sleep, so…" The brunet was rolling back and forth on the balls of his feet. Tsuna shrugged, shoving his hands nervously into the small pockets of his uniform. Why was he getting into this conversation, anyway?

"Uniform looks fine."

"Um, thanks." Scratching his ear, Tsuna looked to the ceiling in a pathetic attempt to strike up a conversation. Unfortunately, so had not happened and Giotto stood there, blocking the path down to Yamamoto's house while the tension was so thick that it, overdramatically put, could have been cut with a knife. "Did you go to Namimori High, too?"

"I graduated in Italy."

"Why do you look so sweaty?" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth and cursed his natural tendency to blabber when he was nervous. The brunet internally slapped himself, but the image was oh-so bluntly shoved in front of him. Giotto's hair was tousled, face was stained in a feverish pink, and tie was undone. Buttons were fumbled, clumsily sealed together in a wrong position, and even the man's pants were on in some untidy way.

If it counted for anything, Giotto was wearing a black vest, long slacks, and a purple dress shirt. Last night he left in a pin-striped suit, which just so happened to be curled into a wrinkled wad under his arm.

Giotto raised an eyebrow, but the pink across his face only deepened. Tsuna looked to the ground, unsure of what he could say to ease their…predicament. But the fact his blond brother was blushing was kind of…nice. Heck, that meant he was human.

So instead of making Tsuna feel more like an idiot than he already did, the same blond man swapped subjects. "Your pants are too big for you."

"The entire _uniform_ is too big for me." Tsuna grimaced as he straightened the tie. He pulled up his pants, suddenly aware they were sagging at his hips. His ears perked at the sound of metal clanging, and suddenly, a rather unmanly squeak left his throat. "Wh-What are you do—"

"Belt. Duh." The way Giotto spoke was actually kind of playful. Casual, as if he were talking about the weather. In one nimble yank that would make strippers jealous (in Tsuna's eyes, anyway), the belt was off, and the small gap of Italian sun-kissed skin was now shrouded by a purple dress shirt. The blond fell to his knees, which surprised the brunet further, and pulled Tsuna's shirt all the way up to his belly button.

Tsuna squirmed. He was ticklish. Very ticklish. Giotto's hands for some strange reason were _on fire._ At one simple touch, the teenager shuddered, and slim fingers as delicate as a pianist's were around his belt loops, sliding the cold leather through his pants. He shifted between his feet, ignoring the tingling sensation of his _brother's_ hands all over his exposed belly, before the leather was tightened around his waist.

Giotto pulled away as if it was nothing, and that's what it should have been: _absotively, posilutely nothing._

Ashamed, the brunet's eyes stuck to the wall, even when his brother stood up, dusted off his pants, and closed the door behind him. "Thanks," he whispered softly.

"Not a problem. You're in need of a growth spurt." Giotto walked away in long strides, making his way to the kitchen where he pulled out a box of cereal and a bowl.

You would think his first priority would be to take a shower and change, Tsuna thought, eyebrow arched. His hand twitched in effort to say something, but the subject was quickly dropped.

"Did you eat? No you didn't." The adult was talking to himself rather than his brother. Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but Giotto was busy in his own little world as he reached for the milk in the back of his fridge. "You should eat."

"I-I was going to grab a bite at Yamamoto's place. I'll wash the dishes when I get ba—"

"You're not allowed to wash the dishes."

"B-But—"

"Not. Allowed." He was about to retort, but the same amber eyes ignited with something the brunet would rather not put himself into. Tsuna gulped, aware that inflamed orange eyes were burning into him, lips tightly pulled into a grimace. Tsuna had _never_ seen a nose look so intimidating in his life.

"New rule?" Tsuna muttered instead, shoulders sinking. Some part of his mind supposed it was logical; Giotto was the one who ate, so he would have been the one to wash the dishes. Yesterday came flooding back, and how perturbed the adult seemed when Tsuna wouldn't stop cleaning his dishes. He would have done it for his mother. How was this any different?

Brother was just 'mother,' 'cept without the 'm' and with a 'b' and 'r.' Logically, anyway.

Giotto grabbed a spoon and shoved it forcefully in the pond of Cheerios. "New rule."

"Sorry," Tsuna muttered involuntarily. It rolled off his tongue, full of all the guilt the teenager felt bubbling from the pit of his stomach until it suffocated his chest. He said it easily, sort of like when your nose had an irritating tickle and the only way to get rid of it was by sneezing. Giotto halted mid-bite, raising his head to meet Tsuna's gaze, but the frustrated teenager whirled around and touched the knob of the door. Once his overly dramatic, typical teenaged feelings slipped in that word, he was too embarrassed to face him. "Um, what time do you come home?"

"Nine. Why?"

"Could I have a friend sleep over sometime in October?" Wait, that wasn't on the same subject. Tsuna blinked as he realized he was mixing his concern for Enma with his guilt for his brother.

"Any specific reason _why_?" Giotto's voice drawled and Tsuna could _feel_ him leaning over the counter, clearly amused and curious.

"Sort of, I guess. H-he's just…m-my best friend, and I want him here, but we're always so busy, so we…" Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed, heart pounding. The last time he talked to Enma, the other boy's voice was hoarse and strained. Each word that was drawn from the redhead's voice had another bruise, and the brunet had to keep from cringing with every sentence. Enma needed to come. Like, now.

Or two months from now. The brink of September was barely penetrated, and his birthday wasn't until the end of October. It seemed so far away, but future plans kept delaying their visits.

"Okay." There was maybe a twinge of sympathy in his brother's tone. The one word carried with a light vibrato, and Tsuna shivered as it reached his ears.

A smile spread across his face and he looked over his shoulder with relief. "I'm off then."

"Right."

No goodbyes, or be careful. Opening the door he looked to the steps toward hell. His lips turned into an uncomforted frown and the fact the twenty-one steps full of holes and splinters were looking oh-so happy to see him this morning was unnerving. The teenager softly sighed, shutting his eyes before gripping the railing and running down.

He nearly screamed like a girl when his foot was caught in a gap.

Tsuna stumbled forward, not expecting the sudden pull, and landed on the ground with a sudden success. A sigh of relief escaped his throat and he checked his watch; only fifteen minutes until school started.

Looking in all directions, he nervously readjusted the sweater and looked at his belt, which fit snugly around his waist. The brunet touched it softly and pulled on the straps of his backpack before trudging for the school. He would most likely meet Yamamoto over there anyway, right?

The fact he was starving wasn't helping. He halted only a block away from Namimori High when his stomach viciously growled. Uncomforted by this, the teenager frowned and shifted between his feet.

If he hadn't been so busy talking to Giotto, then this wouldn't have happened.

But if he hadn't been so busy talking to Giotto, then the man wouldn't have agreed to let Enma stay for his birthday. Tsuna held his head high, suddenly on cloud nine with a giddy smile spread across his face. Pushing his famished stomach aside, the teenager broke into a jog for the school. Soon his best friend would be coming up to visit him, and they could hang out just like old times.

Not that Yamamoto and Gokudera were bad. But they weren't just _Enma._

Enma, who had almost everything in common with him despite their personality clashes. Enma, who had trust issues that he was trying to work with (and it could really just be shyness); who undeniably clung to Tsuna like a person needed _air._ They were practically inseparable, and the guy was one enigma that Tsuna actually enjoyed.

Goofy smile still on his face, he decided that there was chemistry between them that couldn't be overlooked. He liked hanging out with Enma because he felt needed. It wasn't something that crossed over to romantic—the brunet had examined their relationship _plenty_ of times to realize that they were still very much on a platonically intimate level in their relationship—but it was good. Enma was the gloomy type of person who looked like all he saw were raindrops and cloudy skies. When he smiled though, it was like having his own little sun. No exaggerating.

Well, maybe a little exaggerating. Tsuna laughed, reminding himself that the redhead and he hadn't been apart for more than a week—only five days, actually—and that he needed to work things out. Yamamoto was a warm presence, who naturally molded around all the gaps in Tsuna's life. He was surprised how the taller filled him like a filling covered a cavity. Bad analogy, but heck, it seemed good to _him._

"Gokudera-kun?"

"What."

They met at the front gate. Tsuna came to an abrupt halt, caught off guard at the silver-haired boy coming from the opposite direction, but none too surprised by the scowl permanently planted across his demeanor. "Um, good morning."

"Tch." He supposed that was going to be the best 'good morning' that he would get. Tsuna's hands tightened around the straps of his backpack and he curiously observed how Gokudera redid his wardrobe. Tight pants. Like, tight enough to frame his legs and all their muscly goodness. His sweater and shirt were rolled up to his elbows, and the belt decorating the silver-haired teenager's hips was adorned by two other.

Somehow this guy managed to make a prestigious school uniform look all badass and amazing. Tsuna opened his mouth, genuinely surprised, but Gokudera simply turned his position, pulling into the entrance like other students. The brunet followed after like a lost puppy, though hesitantly.

Gokudera turned around maybe once or twice, halting dramatically with his lips opened into a disgusted grimace, but Tsuna's eyes were always on the ground, glued to the floor fearfully/shamefully in event that Gokudera, the walking explosive, suddenly shove a dynamite down his shirt (or up his….well, Tsuna didn't want to go there) and tell him to go die in a hole.

"Fucking bastard." Gokudera was reduced to a growl, and he leaned over, hands shoved coolly in matching pockets. The brunet looked up, confused, and took sight of what was happening.

Yamamoto stood only yards away from them, hand behind his head sheepishly as he laughed at one of the girl's jokes. With his height, the guy could easily be mistaken as a second-year or third-year. Tsuna tugged at his collar, nervously reminding himself that Yamamoto and he were exact opposites.

Yamamoto was suave, and Tsuna was klutzy.

The tall teenager politely chatted away about different subjects, giving each girl the same amount of attention, and _sort of_ looked interested. But that was the type of person Yamamoto was. Now the brunet was nervously wondering whether or not everything he talked about with the guy was something he wasn't interested in. Maybe Yamamoto didn't even _like_ him.

At that, his breath hitched and all the excitement that buzzed in his head left. Tsuna ducked his head, lips clenching nervously together as his fingers curled. From the corner of his eye he saw Gokudera jerk his head in surprise before looking away again.

"Tsuna! Haha, I was wondering when you would show up!"

"Shitty baseball nut." On the other hand, this was casual behavior for the silver-haired teenager.

Tsuna peeked up from his brown hair, surprised as Yamamoto chuckled and politely shooed each of the girls away. Gokudera stepped forward, and he followed in suit as the dark-haired teenager waved like he had no care in the world. Something in Gokudera's expression had changed. If anything it had worsened, and the glare he was sending Tsuna's way every few minutes was unnerving.

"Hi Gokudera." Yamamoto's voice was quiet and relaxed. The silly smile on his face was still as truthful as ever, and he looked down to Tsuna's height with a grin. "Nervous?"

"A-A little." He was nervous that they wouldn't be in the same class, or worse: they would be and then Yamamoto would find out just how much of a wimp he really was. The teenager gulped, and he soon found his hand encased by a much larger one before gently being tugged into the auditorium. Gokudera followed from behind, clearly annoyed by this action, but didn't voice it. His face had gone red from what Tsuna assumed was anger, but he'd never actually seen the silver-haired teenager _happy_ to begin with.

Soon, Gokudera drifted off near the front and Yamamoto was muttering 'Sawada' over and over under his breath. The brunet tilted his head in confusion, not really sure what was going on, before the taller teenager halted. "Sasagawa-chan!"

Sasagawa? As in…Ryohei? Tsuna blinked, murmuring a quiet sorry when he bumped into Yamamoto's back. Peering over Yamamoto's arm (because the teenager's shoulder was too high for him to reach), his eyes landed on a pretty girl with red hair and pretty eyes. Anxiety took over him as he held onto Yamamoto's hand, despite the fact he was seventy-eight percent sure he was gay.

On cue, the tall teenager let out a light chuckle as the girl greeted him. "Tsuna, this is Kyoko Sasagawa-chan. And this is Tsuna Sawada; he's transferring from Shimon Middle School."

Her dainty hand reached her cheek, eyes lighting up sweetly as they made contact with the brunet's. "Really? That's exciting, Sawada-kun."

"Thanks," he whispered softly, red dusting across his cheeks.

"Sasagawa-chan, since you're so close to the alphabet with Tsuna, do you mind watching over him? I promise, he's really good, haha. And really nice. And kinda shy, so you might have to make him open up a bit. Oh, haha. Look he's turning red." Yamamoto turned his way, flashing one of his laidback grins and the poor teenager wanted to die right on the spot. The hold Yamamoto had on his hand was suddenly relinquished and tucked safely in the baseball player's pocket.

Kyoko smiled at him sweetly, and Tsuna immediately knew she was the type of girl who was popular with everyone, but didn't flaunt it. She softly giggled, nodding her head in agreement. "Sure, Yamamoto-kun. I would love to."

"Great! Haha. Alright, I'll see you later then, Tsuna. Treat him well, Sasagawa-chan." Yamamoto flashed a grin before jogging toward the back. Tsuna stood at the tips of his toes, careful to note that the taller teenager was also one of the last in line as well. Nervously turning around, the brunet was met with cheerful eyes and a delighted smile.

"So when did you move here, Sawada-kun?"

"F-Friday." Tsuna muttered something else under his breath, awkwardly scratching his arm. At his old school if he were to even walk within five _feet_ of a girl this pretty, their older brother or some bullies would use it as an excuse to mess him up. "School in Shimon's s-started already, actually."

"Oh." Kyoko giggled softly, hands clasped together angelically and she tilted her head to the side. "That's tough then, huh? Having to endure another month of school and everything. Oh, are you the same Sawada-kun that my brother has been talking about?"

Sasagawa-_senpai._ Tsuna nodded guiltily, nervous smile across his face. He sought comfort in the mittens in his pockets. "I met him on my first day here. Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun, too."

"Oh, Gokudera-san." She laughed softly, shaking her head in utmost amusement before serenely looking at Tsuna. "He and Yamamoto-kun tend to be joined by the hip. I'm surprised he's taking you so well."

_So well?_ He wondered what Gokudera did when he _wasn't_ taking someone _so well._ Red scattered across Tsuna's face for the umpteenth time that morning, and he guiltily wondered where all of this heat and blood was coming from. He opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly cut off by the squeak of the microphone. Some guy up front, a third-year most likely, had said microphone clutched between his fingers. He was tight-lipped, straight looking, and Tsuna quickly assumed he was the class president.

He quickly zoned out when the guy started talking about what was good about Namimori High, instead thinking of everything about today that could possibly go wrong. The same disciplinary student that Tsuna had seen yesterday lingered by the exit; too cool to bat an eyelash, and suddenly snow white hair caught the brunet's attention. And hit him hard.

Like if someone was to slap him across the face, or…or…or the fact he saw this man _naked_ leaning over a _kitchen counter_ nearly five days ago. Tsuna's jaw fell to the floor, and it took all his willpower not to gawk at the man who…who sorta looked like the head of the disciplinary department and was now in a very elegant suit.

"I am Alaude Brouille. The chairman to the school board." The _what_? So his brother w-was…was fooling around with his principal? Wait no, it wasn't even his principal! It was _higher_! Without warning, he gave out a small groan with his hand pressed against his face even though they were supposed to stand absolutely still. "I don't take too fondly to my school being messed up, and am very aware that the middle school was almost blown up due to someone planting dynamites in the baseball team's locker room."

Piercing eyes narrowed to the first year members, and Tsuna gulped. When they first met he had been so busy covering his de-virginized eyes from two naked men. Now that Alaude was fully clothed and kind of glowering at everyone, he never looked more intimidating.

Tsuna's breath hitched as those eyes landed on him. A fond smirk spread across Alaude's face, both sadistic and confident at the same time, before it darted toward the disciplinary captain.

"My nephew will gladly show you your place if you don't behave." There was a pause, many murmurs and gulps, before Alaude continued. "And yes. It's nepotism. So suck it up."

Funny how such blunt words could sound so fancy with a French accent. Tsuna's toes curled in his shoes and he nervously shivered. The student body immediately broke, and a board was put in the middle of the room. Students rushed to see who they would be paired up with; girls screaming and guys pumping fists in the air.

"Sawada-kun, let's go." Kyoko's hand curled around his, and pulled them toward the board up front. Tsuna nodded silently, and they met Gokudera, who was obnoxiously shoving everyone out of the way.

"DAMMIT." And apparently was very angry.

"Ah! There you are, Tsuna!" Yamamoto appeared behind him, full of chuckles as he petted the shorter teenager on the head. Tsuna's face reddened softly and he shyly smiled.

"Hi."

"Fuck." Gokudera whirled around, and with great success, shooed many of the terrified teenagers away. He scowled, green eyes narrowing to Yamamoto. "I'm stuck with the baseball freak for my first fucking year of high school. Yippee-fucking-doo."

"Aw, it won't be that bad, haha." Yamamoto laughed softly, petting Gokudera on the head like he did the brunet.

For a brief moment, the silver-haired teenager actually looked flustered. But very brief. Tsuna snapped out of his scrutiny, nerves biting at him as he uncomfortably gulped and stood at the tip of his toes to see the list. Yamamoto was blocking him.

"Tsuna! You're in the same class as us, haha. How cool is that? You too, Sasagawa-chan!"

A breath of relief escaped the brunet's lips. "Yay," he weakly smiled.

"Oh? What a coincidence! That's great!" Kyoko's lips curtsied happily and she clasped her hands together, grip on Tsuna's wrist soon forgotten. The brunet quickly saw Gokudera look their way, observing this action before he looked away, disconcertedly scowling.

"Fucking baseball idiot…"

"Haha, it'll be a great year!"

"Yay," Tsuna repeated, with more forceful enthusiasm. Yamamoto slung an arm around his shoulders before he had the chance to leave, and they happily talked about something on their way to the classroom.

Yippee-fucking-doo.

OoOoO

Class with Yamamoto wasn't particularly a _bad_ thing.

"So Tsuna, which one's cooler? Namimori High or Shimon High?"

"Uh…"

It was just what could happen after class. Red dusted across his nose, and the teenager looked to his feet, which poorly could not reach the ground. Yamamoto dragged him into the seat on the second row before planting himself to the desk on Tsuna's right. Since they were one of the last students to show up, it left a scowling Gokudera to sit behind Tsuna, which neither was comfortable with.

The brunet gulped, timidly turning around for the fourth time because he could have _sworn_ hotheaded fingers were picking at his shirt and trying to harass him. Every time he looked, however, the silver-haired teenager was nose-deep into a book with reading glasses pushed up his pupils. He almost looked too mature to pick on him.

_Almost._

Involuntarily, he moved forward, snapping out of his thoughts as the desk under him squeaked. Tsuna swung his legs over the seat so his full attention could be on Yamamoto alone. Sasagawa-san had sauntered over to some other girl in the class and chatted with her.

"The uniform is…um...erm…" Tsuna took in a deep breath, hand intertwining with the belt Giotto had given him earlier this morning. Lamely, he sighed. "Big."

Yamamoto chuckled lightly, hand swinging over the armrest. "You look good in it."

"Th-Thanks. So do you—"

The book Gokudera was reading slammed closed and was thrown on the floor. Tsuna jumped in his seat, "Eek!"-ing in surprise. He slowly glanced at the silver-haired boy, who grumbled something under his breath before readjusting his glasses and picking up the same book he'd dropped on the ground. Those around them went back to conversing, proving that this was casual behavior for the hotheaded teenager.

"Are you okay?" Tsuna asked against his will. _He_ wasn't. _He_ was absolutely terrified. _He_ knew this was going to be the longest school year ever because the guy behind him was absolutely and utterly jealous of—Tsuna pressed his hand to his face. Freaking out was a no-no.

Green eyes (with envy? Tsuna didn't want to go there) glared at him, glasses pushed up his nose before the other teen began reading yet again and jotting down notes. "Tch."

Um, wasn't it sort of weird to throw your book on the ground? Tsuna sighed softly, having given up wholeheartedly in becoming Gokudera's friend a long time ago. No matter what he did, the silver-haired teenager only loathed him more. Turning around, he caught sight of the piercing glance the baseball player pointed toward his best friend.

"Yamamoto?"

"Ah? You say something, Tsuna?" the look dissipated, replaced with an easygoing smile and light laughs. "Hey, you any good with calculus—"

The door shot open. Chattering stopped, and Tsuna jerked from his seat, jumping high in the air from fear and shock as a long, slender leg jabbed its way in. He froze in his seat; nails clenching the desk for his dear life as the rest of the guy appeared, looking scary as hell.

His jaw dropped, eyes widening in pure shock.

"Ciaossu." With fervent Italian, the man up front dressed in a brooding black suit with an orange dress shirt plopped into the teacher's desk. His lips curtsied into a casually demonic grin and he swung his legs over until they rested happily near the roll book.

"Oh, that's Reborn-sensei!" Yamamoto leaned over, hand cupped around his mouth with a happy laugh. "Rumor has it that he used to be a hitman—" He didn't get to finish his sentence. Before Tsuna blinked, a pencil was smoothly thrown into the air and slashed the tall teenager straight in the face. Tsuna squeaked, pushing back until there was a large enough gap between him and the baseball player.

Yamamoto blinked. He looked at the wound, rubbing it softly and felt the graphite between his fingers. "Hm, didn't break skin."

"Of course it didn't. I did that on purpose, my no good students." The teacher, Reborn, kicked the roll book in his hand before his eyes landed on the poor brunet sitting in the second row. "Tsunayoshi Sawada. Don't disrupt my class."

"E-Eh…" How did he know Tsuna's name? The teenager gulped, hands curling into his pants as he nervously nodded and looked down.

"As this baseball idiot was saying, I'm your teacher. As for the matter of whether or not I'm a hitman…I'll let you decide." The young man chuckled all too creepily, smirk plastered across his face. He deposited his hat on the corner of his chair and leaned over his desk, eyes shifting across the classroom. "You're all here. Troublesome Mister Alaude says we're not allowed to do shit on the first day of school, so you're going to tell me about yourselves. Questions?"

Yamamoto's hand was the first one to shoot up.

"Yes, Takeshi Yamamoto?"

"How do you know we're all here, haha?" The teenager grinned pleasantly and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Hn." Reborn pulled away from the desk, a Cheshire grin spread across his lips, and kicked Yamamoto's desk. He raised his head, eyebrow raised, and looked the teenager in the eye. "Takeshi Yamamoto. Star of the baseball team at Namimori Middle. Approximate height: one-hundred and seventy-seven centimeters. Approximate weight: sixty-three kilograms. Favorite food: sushi. Favorite drink: milk. Hobbies include running in the rain, playing the taiko, and samurai play. Best friend is Hayato Gokudera. Love interest is…"

The way the grin across Yamamoto's face suddenly disappeared and deepened was _not_ a good sign. Tsuna's head jerked his way, concern fluttering in. Suddenly Reborn's eyes drifted, landing on someone else, and he only chuckled.

"No comment."

Tsuna let out a breath he wasn't even aware he was holding. He ran a hand through his hair, squeezing his desk even tighter to settle his nerves before those same domineering eyes landed on his form.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada." Reborn's head raised, hands tucked in his pockets. He kicked the desk under the brunet bluntly and arched an eyebrow. "Ieyatsu's kid brother."

"Giotto." Tsuna looked up, eyebrows knitting together in surprise. He shook his head gently and clasped them together. "My brother's name is Giotto. A-And you're wrong." Suddenly feeling a little braver, he leaned over in his seat. "I d-don't know an Ieyatsu, and Iemitsu is my f-father."

"Mm." Reborn didn't bat an eyelash. Instead, he whirled around in an elegant stride and sat in his seat, relaxing yet again. "You must have noticed my name isn't Japanese." Students nodded. "Despite how shitty this school looks, it's also one of the best. Your classroom procedures will include many others, and I along with the five other instructors will be the best you'll ever get. By the end of this school year, you moronic bunch will feel like crap and you best damn well appreciate it."

How could someone with weird sideburns be so cruel? Suddenly uneased, Tsuna sunk in his seat and observed the man. His malevolent teacher eyed him. Out of nowhere, he pulled out a pretty piece of chalk and stood to his feet.

"Turn to the fifth page in your history book—yes, Aizawa?" How the _heck_ did he see that hand raised with his head turned?

"Um, we don't have text books."

"Ah. Then this will become a matter of memory. Certainly you know that is all history basically is. Memory. Now don't cry. Suck it up or I'll kill you."

There wasn't any crying. But there would have been a lot of complaints from students whining about the teacher they got had the man not proved he had eyes in the back of his head.

By the time the first half of class rolled by, Reborn-sensei managed to stick forty-three pencils in the wall because of ignorant "stupid" students who refused to listen to his lecture. The smile never left the man's face, and he was actually more _amused_ than he was annoyed.

This guy was not human. Tsuna would choose demon stairs over Reborn _any day._ Maybe.

But a lunch break seemed all too needed. Not a second too late once the bell rang, Tsuna stood from his seat, target being the door as he readied to bolt out of Namimori High and curl up in comfort of the bullies at his old school.

Unfortunately, he never got the chance. Instead, Yamamoto ignorantly cut him off, happy smile across his face and easily asked if Tsuna would join him for lunch. The brunet agreed, albeit embarrassed from the many times Reborn thought _needed_ to call on Tsuna and hear his bad Engrish before calling on Gokudera-kun, who foiled his horrible school ethics with fervent Italian and lucid English.

Yamamoto laughed again, and they decided to have lunch outside near the big oak tree. Gokudera mumbled something about, "not giving a fucking shit" and sauntered off in his own direction. Which left Tsuna and Yamamoto by themselves.

"Your English was good, haha."

"My English was _horrible._" Tsuna rolled his eyes. He bit his lip, forcing his growling stomach to shut up and ignored the scent of crab sushi as Yamamoto excitedly munched on it. There was certainly a lot…in different arrays…and even though they'd known each other less than a week, Yamamoto made sushi as much of a necessity for Tsuna as breathing.

"You sounded cute," Yamamoto vouched. He grinned again and plopped crab sushi in his mouth. "Mm, Tsuna. This is good, you should try some."

He didn't want to sound _cute._ Cute was not manly. Cute was demeaning! Cute was…what was making his face as pink as cherry blossoms. His flush scattered across his face and he tilted his head, confused. "That's your food, Yamamoto."

"I've had sushi for the longest time now. It's one of the things where you go through phases of liking, not liking, and realizing how much you love it, haha." Yamamoto grinned, a wad of rice and seaweed again between his chopsticks as he pushed it against the shorter teenager's lips. "Open up for the train, haha!"

"Y-Yamamoto…" Tsuna squirmed and held back a soft sigh. The guy was too stubborn for his own good. Complying with the other's wishes, he took the piece of sushi between his hands and tentatively ate it. The roll went down his throat, slowly sliding against his esophagus and plopping into stomach acid that'd been waiting for something to eat all day. "It's good."

"I made it myself, haha." Yamamoto chuckled and ate a piece of yellowtail.

Didn't this sort of count as indirect kissing? Red scattered across Tsuna's cheeks, but he pushed the thought aside. His mind had been filled with…_pleasantly unpleasant _thoughts since the encounter with Alaude this very morning. It was unnerving. "Gokudera-kun sounded really good, too."

His absentminded thinking came to a halt as his breath hitched. Tsuna's gaze jerked to the side nervously and for a split second, the smile on the other teenager's face looked forced. Yamamoto sighed softly and leaned back onto the tree behind him.

"Tsuna, eat this piece of sushi, now would you?"

"U-Uh…o-okay." Tsuna ate another roll in attempt to satisfy his stomach. Yummy, but not quite enough.

"Hayato and I have an interesting relationship, haha." They were in private, that was right. Tsuna leaned back awkwardly in attempt to get relaxed, but the subject had piqued his interest ever since the day he met both hothead and…bonehead. Yamamoto sheepishly ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Eat another piece of sushi."

"Yamamoto, i-it's your food."

"And I made a lot, haha. Does it look like I need to grow anymore?"

"…n-no…" That being said, Tsuna plopped another piece of raw fish between his lips.

"He and I have been best friends since we were little. Tsuna, have you ever had a best friend?"

"Enma." Tsuna's hands tensed and he looked down to his feet. Now that he thought about it, he wanted to call Enma and have a conversation with him during the lunch break.

"He's always been this short-tempered, haha. When we were little, he used to come by with his elder sister, and I followed him around. One day I was sick and he yelled at me for not following him around anymore, haha." Yamamoto crossed his arms, amusement running across his face. Funny. The taller teenager looked ten years older from the way he stood. "He's just really shy and hides it with his temper. Which is understandable. For the first three years of our friendship, I couldn't understand him since his accent was so heavy. Haha."

Um. Was that natural? Tsuna scratched his head and decided not to ask.

"So when he got a girlfriend, I knew that meant I needed to back off. He has someone else he's opened his little world up to, haha. Doesn't need me to revolve around him like a satellite anymore." Yamamoto grinned and shrugged. "Tsuna, eat more sushi."

"Okay." Tsuna sighed in defeat and plopped another piece in his mouth. "So there's nothing more to your relationship?"

"Nothing." Yamamoto actually sounded…wistful. Tsuna caught his breath, eyeing the same teenager he met in front of a sushi bar, who was contemplating the importance of life. The same odd look was on his face, and the brunet bit his lip and turned away.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked softly.

"Because you're the type of person who will listen and even if he judges, knows it's not appropriate, haha." Yamamoto arched an eyebrow and with that, his entire demeanor changed to match his amusement. "Tsuna, you also hold the naivety of a young child not realizing I've been trying to feed you half my lunch since you forgot yours. It's okay if you eat it, haha."

"U-uh." Tsuna reddened and looked down to the bento full of sushi. The other teenager gestured willingly, and he noticed only a forth of what was there had actually been eaten. Hesitantly, he picked at the food again and nibbled on a piece of yellow tail. Had Yamamoto really meant that? He curled his fingers into the soles of his shoes and shivered. He knew _immediately_ that the taller teenager was lying. There _was_ something between Gokudera-kun and he. A-And he wanted to be the person that pushed their relationship further.

But that involved sharing secrets. L-Like the one only Enma knew, and what Nana suspected.

"Y-Yamamoto," he muttered softly.

"Mm, Tsuna?"

"I-I'm—"

The bell rang. Tsuna jumped in surprise, caught off guard by such a sound before turning back to the sight of Yamamoto dusting off his pants and gathering the rest of his food.

"I can make a bento for you too if you'd like, haha." Yamamoto grinned and wrapped the lunchbox neatly before putting it in his arm. "I like making them."

Tsuna's eyes clenched shut. He let out a rigid breath, shoulders hunching in defeat. Peering through locks of chocolate brown hair, he oddly smiled. "Only if it's not a lot of trouble."

"You got it, Tsuna. Haha."

OoOoO

The gym instructor was surprisingly calm. Tsuna would have let his guard down in front of the Chinese man had it not been the fact he bore a strange resemblance to both Alaude and his nephew, and the fact every other foreign teacher at their school seemed like they were out to kill their students. He panicked as he realized how familiar the home economics teacher's voice sounded very similar to the he-she that'd jumped him the other day. He-she refused to stop the fire unless he-she got paid. That would be Viper-sensei.

In immediate contrast, however, was Fon-sensei. The Chinese man was very serene, smile spread across his lips even more relaxed than one of Yamamoto's styles. He thought of the teacher as very nice…up until the point they had to climb ropes.

A sigh escaped the brunet's throat as he rubbed the burn for the hundredth time in the middle of class. Reborn-sensei's maniacal grin sent shivers up his spine when finally, the bell rang. Tsuna gathered his things quickly, wincing as the burn on his leg rubbed against his pants and stopped to readjust his belt.

"Tsuna."

"E-Eh?" Tsuna looked up curiously and tilted his head to the side.

Yamamoto laughed softly and rubbed the back of his head. "Haha, I have baseball practice for the rest of the week."

"But baseball season isn't until next semester, right? O-Okay." Tsuna shrugged his shoulders in defeat and awkwardly scratched his arm. "D-Do you want me to wait for you?"

"Nah, it's boring stuff. But tryouts are soon and I wanna try getting onto the varsity team. You can understand that, right? Haha, you can hang out with Gokudera; we train _really_ hard before the season starts."

"Wh-When are tryouts?"

"Next Monday, haha. I'd like it if you came." Yamamoto flashed another grin and petted him affectionately on the head. "Hang out with Gokudera, Oh, even my pops! Or maybe Sasagawa-chan or Ryohei-senpai. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you did."

"Okay." Tsuna ran a hand through his hair and looked to the ceiling. "It's fine anyway, um. My brother got this new couch and he wants me to help move it in."

Aside from the wanting to help move it in part, it was totally not a lie. Yamamoto chuckled. "Oh? Alright then, haha. I'll catch you later!"

"B-Bye, Yamamoto." He smiled nervously as the other boy obliviously turned his footing and walked out the door toward the baseball field. A saddened sigh escaped his lips and he looped the backpack over his shoulders before exiting. "Oh, Gokudera-kun?"

The silver-haired teenager halted from the opposite direction of the baseball player. A scowl was planted across his face, glare narrowed at the shorter teenager.

Hanging out with a bloodthirsty teenager who had both the stamina and prowess to kill him was _not_ how Tsuna planned to spend his afternoon. He shifted between his feet and looked at the book in the other's arm. "Oh? You're going to play piano?"

"Hn." Gokudera tossed his head up in the air and shoved both hands in his pockets. "You're in my way."

"S-Sorry." Tsuna moved toward the window, but the hothead showed no sign of moving. "H-how come you weren't a lunch with us today—"

"He didn't fucking ask me too, okay?" Gokudera's eyes narrowed and through his tantrum the teenager threw his book at the wall. A saucy Italian curse escaped his lips and he gathered the same book before stalking off in the direction he came from.

Tsuna winced, shivering at the fireworks that crackled from the ill-tempered boy's tone. He tightened his hands over the straps of his backpack and turned his foot, deciding it would probably be better if he took the exit on the other side of the school.

His lips turned into a frown, guilt surging at the fact he lied to the one guy who insisted on being his friend. Not only that, but it was only 3:33PM, and Giotto said he wouldn't come home for another six hour.

Maybe he needed to get a house key.

…or not and say he did. That sounded like a better plan.

Maybe Yamamoto's father would let him use the phone so he could call Enma. Smiling, he pushed the door open and was swept in by the fresh scent of school grounds. Warmth pressed against his body and the teenager decided that…yeah. Maybe Yamamoto's father _would_ let him call Enma—

"Yo, fucktard. Little middle schoolers like you aren't supposed to be on the sports field."

Tsuna tensed. He stopped his stride before increasing his pace. Keep going, he thought slowly. I-If he kept going, th-then maybe they would just think he was a bug on the field.

"_Retard._ You little dipshit, I'm talking to _you._" This wasn't one of Giotto's attempts in driving the car. It wasn't someone who was yelling for no reason and Tsuna knew the drill; if he wanted to get out of here alive, then he would have to stop—_crash._ "You. Stop. Now. Got it?"

Tsuna clutched his nose from impact. A grimace spread across his face and he looked up, trembling. The guy was large, nearly four times his size and fists bigger than the brunet's head. A soft gasp escaped his throat, and sunlight was blocked as others circled him.

The biggest one smirked. "You're pretty brave venturing in _my_ neck of the woods, midget."

"I-I…u-uh…I d-don't want any…t-trouble." Tsuna ducked his head before the guy pinned him to the ground, straddling his small hips and crushing both his wrists. He gasped again, eyes doubling in size and struggled to move. H-he couldn't. And the guys were cl-closing in on him. "I-I r-really h-have to get…going…"

"Not until you learn your lesson, you little bitch."

Tsuna shut his eyes, a cry of pain escaping his throat. He knew this lesson better than anyone.

All thoughts of calling Enma at Yamamoto Sushi were gone when the first punch smashed his nose.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

Woohoo, congrats to you-know-who for being review number you-know-what. ;D And now you guys have a smutshot that I tortured you in, too. Mwahahahahaha. Oh, you wanna kill me now? Well, you got a long chapter so…well, idk. Don't kill me; I gotta write the next one too. So a lot of you gush over Enma and I do too. Hehe. I have a 2700 story in the process (two in my head), but since canon took such a twist, you'll have to wait a little while for things to settle in the manga.

Okay, who's my next victom…**HETCHROME** I CHOOSE YOU. REVIEW NUMBER…142! And this time uh, I'll write a smutshot of your choosing. If you get there that is. Yes, I am so choosing impossible numbers to see if you can actually do it. Herherher.


	6. baseball and hotheads

**sender unknown **hurhurryou'rerightaboutthatahurhur. **FaerieDemon** Hm, I'm debating about Mukuro's appearance at the moment; I know that Daemon Spade is going to be in the story; just gotta think of when. And thanks, haha. I have an incredibly small computer screen and the reply wall takes forever to scroll down from. **Nimrodo** Nah, I like the way Yamamoto's personality is going. It seems a little out of character, but he's just all mopey coz of the hothead over there. It'll change eventually. :D **copycat-capycot** si, there is. And I have no clue if I'll be able to work it into this story, haha. And I will convert you by the end of this story. I swear I _so_ will. And that's okay. You amuse me so much no matter which fandom I'm writing for. Haha. **Kichou** Updated! Thanks for the review! **milostudio **You know, that's a very good point. I wonder what Futa would say about this school; I'd want to attend it. Haha. **ayumistar00 **You'll just have to see for yourself, huh? Enjoy the chapter! **kikyokyoyahibari **Maybe! Maybe not, you'll just have to find out. So many questions left unanswered; stay tuned for the next chapter of the story with the incredibly long name! :P **xxxKimi-chan** Thanks, that's really flattering. C: And yeah; I can't see Reborn without him in a fedora and holding a gun; he's gotta be a hitman, even if it's just implied. Hehehe. **whatshallIbe** WE JUST WILL, WON'T WE? Tsuna shall be 100% gay by the end of this story. Or just gay for Giotto; who knows. Hehe. I think when I write this, I just have to stop a couple times in mid-sentence and go, "A…Aw…Tsuuunaaaa. D:" **D isengaged **He stammers too much. I wonder what that says for him in bed. -shot- No you're not weird. Coz I'm weird. Hehehe. **Kanberry** –love'd- **Shinigami Nanashi** Inorite? You gotta wonder what Hibari thinks if he's ever walked in on the two in the middle of bowchikawowow. :P **Chiri-tan** I'm glad you liked it! Enjoy this chapter! **plummy-kins** A lot of people were asking where he was; I wanna make some jokes about Reborn as the story keeps going on, haha. And…no? Enma is just Enma. Hehehe. **An anonymous Fangirl** Haha, so you'd have him bullied so long as he and Giotto get along? …me too. And then Giotto can come to the rescue! …by calling and talking to their parents, because he's an adult and would go to jail for abuse if he kicked their butts. Haha. **Queen Phantomhive** Yamamoto and Tsuna to the rescuuue. Gokudera couldn't be any more obvious; that's both cute and pretty sad, haha. **kaboost **I have no clue. D: Maybe in this chapter, hopefully. And I'm glad you like the story. Enjoy the chapter! **y0u** lol yeah, I like making the characters do something that you wouldn't expect. It makes them kookie, and I like kookie. Hehe. I'm glad you like the story. C: **Breathless02** I try updating once a week, so you don't have to wait _too_ long. Hehe. I'd love Reborn as my history teacher—or not. All I did all year was read on my iPod. Haha. Giotto is…well, he isn't suave. In a way, I think he's exactly like Tsuna, but a lot older. Which is why it's so fun to write him. Haha. **Cattwo28** B'aww, who knows. I'm glad you like the story, and yeah. Tsuna needs to get his head out of the gutter; he's so…Tsuna. xD **C h r o m a TIXX** I am not gonna lie. I get so lazy to write your name with all the spaces in it, and it's not even the longest name that I have to memorize. Lmao. Enma gets to show up in two months; and considering the slow pace of this story so far…who knows when that will be. Haha. **CH0C0CANDYZ** If they could pick on people their own size, would they still be bullies; or just be two idiots fighting? Haha. **gracefulsunshine** He has his X…mittens? Haha. I love cute little Tsuna. C': **Giuro Eterna Amicizia **Somehow I was thinking the same thing; Giotto reaction will be really interesting and you guys will love it. When I get to it. Haha. Yay hurt comfort! **Fire Princess21** Oh silly, I always tell you that the reviews aren't late. Haha. I'd sorta want them as my teachers, but then there would be no time to goof off at school. Haha. **Sapphire09** I'm glad you're totally in love with this story! ;D **yukishira** well, it's an angsty story; despite the humor there'll be a lot of sad moments too, haha. enjoy the next chapter! **Lena-1827** …omg okay yeah. I'm challenging you next chapter if I remember. Haha. I babble when I'm nervous, hehe. And yeah, the Shimon Family's evil. But…I still am hopelessly in love with Enma and forever will be, haha. And no, it's not really troublesome in this story to write them as friends since it's AU and everything, but it _is_ troublesome for me when I'm writing 2700 stories overall. C: Reborn is…I want him as my teacher. God, I would get into Princeton if I had him as my teacher, haha. Kiss bye bye. ;D **HetChrome** **I AM GIVING YOU ANGRY EYES FOR BEING SUCH A NAUGHTY CHILD WITH SUCH A SHORT ATTENTION SPAN. SHAME SHAME SHAME. I HATE YOU SO MUCH THAT I CAN'T HATE YOU BECAUSE YOU STILL REVIEWED AND YOU AMUSE ME GREATLY. HARHARHAR. C: Loooooooove. ToniChanLovesCookies** Yama and Tsu are gonna be very good friends in this story. :D Thanks for the compliment, and no, this won't be a 2700 story, I swear. C:

**chapter six has **baseball and hotheads.

Takeshi wasn't stupid, despite popular belief. He had the notes in class to prove it (well, during middle school, anyway) and Gokudera would always ("stubbornly") tutor him if he found any particular subject hard. Unlike his silver-haired childhood friend, he never delved into books. If there was a particularly good series or something that had to do about baseball or samurais, he would automatically read it, even if he didn't like it. Other than that, he passed the human anatomy chapter of biology in the second year of middle school not because he read the books (though, his best friend shoved one in his face afterward when he got an 89 on the test), but because he'd broken many bones in his life time.

When he was little, he crushed his leg jumping out of a tree. At the age of seven, his head collided with the automatic doors at Walmart while riding the carts. Right after they fixed his nose, he sprained his arm accidentally slamming it in the taxi's car door. Through his sixteen years of life, Takeshi managed to get gashes, bruises, long cuts, small stabs, scrapes, and a bloody nose from time-to-time. Luckily he mellowed with age, and the broken arm he received at the end of baseball season the year before was his only "stupid" act in a long time.

And he swore he wasn't stupid.

"Tsuna." The joyful grin he had across his face while meeting other baseball players aiming for varsity disappeared. The bat fell from his hand, idly kicked by his foot as he rushed to his new friend, who was sprawled out on concrete ground. He carefully turned the poor teenager over, cradling him gently in his arms before cringing.

A large, swollen bump decorated the petite teenager's head. Dry blood caked his face, a long stream from his nose that piled up dryly against his cheek and meshed through tangled hair. His team mates surrounded him, all mumbling words of concern, but Takeshi could only look up with (fake) smiles and assure them Tsuna would be okay.

Tsuna had been punched in the nose (something that was puffy and twice its regular size), his eye was bruised, scratched down his forearm disgustingly, and had been pants'd. Whoever did this stole his pants!

Takeshi let out a haughty breath, carefully slinging the unconscious boy over his shoulder and was relieved as a soft groan left the brunet's throat. "I'm going to take him over to my house and fix him up. You guys okay with that?"

They nodded, concerned, but there was no likelihood that they actually _knew_ Tsuna. Reborn-sensei had called them all out during class today, but strangely enough they were all preoccupied with staying alive rather than knowing who everyone at Namimori High was.

His team mates muttered a hesitant "goodbye" before stalking off, and Takeshi kicked the ripped backpack overhead and around his neck. He did the same with his baseball bat, albeit with more trouble, and held it tightly in his hands. That was when Tsuna stirred.

"Hey," he muttered sheepishly. A soft chuckle rumbled from his throat, but his expression was only grim. "Are you alright, Tsuna?"

"…my mittens," Tsuna murmured groggily in his ear. There was a pause, and the short teenager barely moved before he started shaking, head turning in all directions and he yanked at Yamamoto's jersey. "My mittens! Th-They took my mittens, I gotta have them, I need my mittens!"

"Tsuna, calm down. I think you might have a concussion." Hematoma, maybe. It wasn't anything particularly bad, but enough that Takeshi needed to get ice on it _immediately._ But the teenager was sobbing, hysterical, and clinging onto Takeshi for the life of him. Doing the best he could, Takeshi only grimaced and walked forward, hesitantly making his way to Yamamoto Sushi, where his father could get a better look at him.

"My mittens! I-If I don't h-have them, wh-what am I going to do? I-I need my mittens!" Tsuna shook, trembling against Takeshi's back and violently twisted so he could be let free. "They have them!"

"We'll get you new ones after we fix you up—Tsuna, shh it'll all be fine." Breathing in the thick scent of blood, the baseball player shivered and increased his pace. "Just…stay awake, okay?"

Maybe Gokudera could help him. If he were to ask—but for some unknown reason, Gokudera _hated_ Tsuna. Takeshi cursed, knowing for a fact Gokudera rarely showed mercy and if he hated someone, then he automatically _hated_ someone.

"I don't _want_ new mittens! I want mine…want mine…I want mine…I want mine…"

"Tsuna!" Yamamoto jerked and with a soft squeak, he knew the other teenager was awake.

"M-Makeup bag."

"Eh?"

"Buy makeup bag. C-Concealer. The cover-up stuff." And just like that, the delusional Tsuna had settled despite the warm tears Takeshi could feel on the back of his neck.

"We're almost at the sushi bar, okay?" Takeshi said softly. He slowed down once the glowing neon sign came to view, and burst through the front door. The entire place fell silent. Takeshi's eyes darted everywhere, noting that the place was packed, but even his father and the assistant were frozen at the sight on his back. Takeshi spared a glance to his dad, eyebrows furrowed, and walked upstairs.

He set Tsuna carefully on his bed, ignoring the much rambling and left the room. A bag of ice and another of peas were in one of his arms and the first aid kit in the other by the time he got back. Tsuna had calmed down, surprisingly, and was sitting, one hand clutching his nose.

"Namimori bullies hit harder than Shimon bullies," muttered the teenager.

"At least you can talk now, haha." Takeshi smiled sympathetically and placed the bag of ice in Tsuna's hand before pressing it against the large bump on his head. He put a hand on the other teenager's chest and lightly pushed him against the mattress. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Tsuna breathed, but proved to be winded. His good eye slowly traveled, and a red blush spread across his face.

"Hm? Oh, haha. I have some clothes that would fit you, Tsuna How about I find you some aspirin and you can go take a shower?" The brunet stared at him, eyes glued to the tall teenager's demeanor, and Takeshi held his smile longer. Reexamining what skin was visible, it was clear that Tsuna didn't suffer any severe injury. Bruises, but no cuts.

Finally his new friend nodded—though hesitantly—and Takeshi's motivation to make the other teenager feel better whisked him off to the kitchen in the medicine cabinet and he offhandedly grabbed the painkillers by instinct. He felt for the boy, although never having been bullied himself. Gokudera was always aggressive, beating anyone up (sometimes girls) that came too close when they were little.

Tsuna was different. Maybe even a little bit desperate, but with pure intentions. The day they met when Takeshi was convinced he simply couldn't do _anything_ right, like…like ask out the person he'd fallen in love with so long ago, Tsuna with his quirky personality and pink blushes foiled Gokudera's, and immediately the tall baseball player was hooked. He felt bad because Tsuna seemed guilty of asking anything, and was very shy. He didn't hide it very well or epically _fail_ at hiding it like Gokudera did.

Chuckling softly under his breath, Yamamoto went through the spare room they'd substituted as an attic, grabbed clothes from middle school he knew would fit Tsuna closely, and wondered what he could do. Whoever beat Tsuna up grabbed his pants, and these mittens the brunet was so bent on keeping. His eyebrows knit together, expression turning sour.

When he saw Tsuna, he saw a withering little flower yet to bloom. He wondered who this "Enma" was, and how trustable he appeared. Even though they barely knew each other, Takeshi felt an odd need to protect Tsuna if this Enma-guy was just another person who harassed Tsuna from the inside.

"Okay, I'm back. I brought clothes too, haha." Yamamoto lifted the flaps decorating his wooden door, grin spread across his lips as his eyes landed on the shorter. One hand kept the towel of ice secure on Tsuna's forehead, while the other lingered at the frozen bag of peas across his eye. Tsuna had found his duvet, shyly covering himself from the waist-down to keep his boxers from view.

Aw. It wasn't a big deal; he saw most of Tsuna naked in the locker room, anyway. "Sorry," croaked the pained teenager.

"Hmm? Sorry for what, Tsuna?" Takeshi moved forward, shutting the blinds to his window. He disappeared before returning again, wet towel in hand and pulled the bag of peas from the other's face.

Brown eyes looked away, eyebrows dipping. "Sorry that I'm so uncool."

Takeshi laughed softly, hand behind the small of his friend's back in order to support him while the other wiped the rest of the dirt, grime, and caked crusty red off his cheeks. "Why would I think you're uncool, haha?"

Tsuna was trembling, and Takeshi immediately knew this wasn't a light subject. The orbs above him were full of fear; saturated by humiliation and fattened with horrible solitude. "You're you and I'm me." He winced as Takeshi pressed the towel a bit too hard on his eye. "I've always been like this. No Good Tsuna. A loser. For someone like you to even talk to me is a phenomenon back in Shimon, Yamamoto. The only reason you and Sasagawa-senpai even like me is because you think I have potential to be on the track team."

"That's not true." Takeshi broke into a smile, grinning and sighing in relief as the swelling on Tsuna's bump seemed to have gone down. He reached for the aspirin kept on his nightstand and then one of the many bottles of water faithfully stored under his bed. "Tsuna I don't care whether or not you're on the track team. When we met, you just seemed like this really cool guy and I still believe that. And you don't seem like the type of guy who would provoke someone into beating you up, so…"

Tsuna looked away, and the taller teenager knew he was right. He timidly grabbed the two pills Takeshi rested in his hand and clutched the bottle of water tightly.

The baseball player smiled wholly. "You don't have to lie to me if you want to become friends, haha. And Ryohei-senpai isn't going to freak out if you don't try out for track." Well, not _a lot_, anyway.

The shorter smiled awkwardly. "Thanks."

"I wanna be your friend so long as you're here, Tsuna. Is the pain medicine kicking in?"

"S-Sort of…"

"Oh, okay. The shower's across the hall when you want it. I'm going to go down stairs and see if Pops is willing to give some sushi up for you, okay?" He grinned fully, picking up his feet before gesturing toward the stairs. Tsuna nodded numbly, and it was enough for Takeshi to turn around and make his way down to the bar where everyone resumed their chattering and eating.

Takeshi's father, however, stopped in mid-chop, turning around with concern across his face. He frowned deeply, meeting his son by the last step and crossed his arms. "Is he alright?"

"He's going to be just fine," Takeshi smiled reassuringly. "Oh, Pops, do you think we have any makeup?'

His father looked at him as if he was crazy. "We're two grown men. Rest your mother's soul, but she hasn't been around for years, Takeshi. Why on earth do you need makeup? Should I be concerned?"

"Tsuna was mumbling about it while in hysterics. Something about cover-up—oh. Oops, haha. I'll go grab some—Ah! G-san!" Takeshi immediately turned around, attention at the front counter where a tall redheaded Italian stood, never smiling, but always pleased. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and rubbed the butt in an ash tray.

Takeshi's father was first to break into a smile. "I have your usual order ready, G-san."

"Thanks, Tsuyoshi," muttered the redhead softly. He looked around, eyes everywhere before they narrowed at Takeshi, brow raised. "Do you know where Tsuna is?"

Oh, that was right. G was best friends with Tsuna's brother; or he'd been told. Thinking back to the critical condition his friend was in, Takeshi rubbed his head sheepishly and laughed. "Haha, I was prepping him for track team tryouts, and he got really tired. Do you mind if he sleeps over tonight?"

There was something about the tall, alluring man that made Takeshi think he was being read like a book. G finally nodded against noisy crowds after some time, and grabbed the order. "I'll make sure his brother knows that." He reached for the napkin container and a pen before jotting his number down. "This is my number and the one next to it is the house number."

His father was giving an odd look; something Takeshi knew with G's keen senses would easily be picked up. He played the fool, rubbing his head with a truthfully disbelieving look. "Seriously? You'll let him stay over on a school night? That's awesome, haha!"

G eyed him warily, and for a second he looked like Gokudera. Takeshi would have never admitted it in front of the red-haired businessman, but he thought G looked absolutely gorgeous. "Make sure he comes by in the morning to pick up his things."

"Hm? Well, there may be a problem with that one, haha." The baseball player rubbed his chin, eyebrows knitted together. "He doesn't have his pants, so there won't be a house key."

G seemed to pick up the words Takeshi unintentionally blabbered. In an instant, the wary look across his face disappeared, scowl just as feisty as his ex-brother-in-law. He leaned over, usually placid demeanor replaced with a livid overprotectiveness neither Yamamoto had ever seen him use. Suddenly it disappeared, instead replaced with that of an interrogator's façade as he tilted his head warningly. "Why doesn't he have pants?"

"Um, I took them? Haha." Oops. He hadn't meant to tip G off badly, but obviously did. Takeshi grinned wholesomely and shrugged. "I accidentally wadded them up and threw them somewhere to motivate him to run farther, haha. We can't find them." Ooh, he was good at lying. That was kinda scary.

The adult spared him a glance, eyes slowly wandering to his father before he grabbed the sushi yet again and slid both numbers into Takeshi's grasp. "Make sure he comes by in the morning and I'll tell Giotto to unlock the door for him."

"Alrighty, haha." Takeshi stuffed the numbers in his pocket, waiting cautiously for G to disappear in the crowd outside before he turned around and smiled at his father. "So uh, is it alright if he sleeps over, haha?"

"I'll go check up on him," agreed his father. But the older man's eyebrows furrowed, and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully while swinging the butcher knife in his free hand. "But I don't approve of your not telling G-san what happened. Giotto is Tsuna-kun's guardian at the moment, after all."

"Don't worry, Pops. I've got everything under control."

Takeshi grinned happily before exiting the sushi bar. He looked around before nodding to himself and walking down the street. The corner store had an entire aisle for makeup, and the concealer Tsuna needed to cover his bruises should be there, _hopefully_. He'd seen girls use it once or twice when they claimed to be powdering their noses. And it explained why most girls never experienced zits in middle school. "Ah? Gokudera, what are you doing here?"

The silver-haired teenager tensed at his place near the convenience store. But there was no mistaking it. Takeshi knew how to spot his best friend like a needle in a hay stack. He oddly smiled, but butterflies were whirling around in his stomach. The only time they were ever truly alone was after dropping Tsuna off at home, and Gokudera quickly found an escape route. Now that they were here together, he felt _obligated_ to follow his best friend even though they both knew under both facades they weren't on good terms with each other.

Finally his best friend turned around, gorgeous emerald eyes flickering irately. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"I'm buying makeup, haha."

"…you're kidding, right?"

"Nope," he cheekily responded. Takeshi grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, haha. We can go shopping together. Oh, have you eaten yet? It's only been a couple of hours, so how about you come by my place, too, and we can haves sushi?"

Hayato Gokudera had a tendency to blush, even when he wasn't embarrassed. It was a natural concurrence, and with a complexion so pale, it only made his skin glow more. Whether or not the hotheaded teenager realized this, Takeshi always thought it was cute. His best friend was glaring, scowling, grimacing, cursing, and very other word found in Webster's dictionary that verbalized the word "annoyed." But it was the _way_ Gokudera would get annoyed that made Takeshi a little giddy inside.

Haha.

"Wh-Whatever." Which was code for 'yes.' Yes to what, exactly, he didn't know.

Silently, they first stopped by the makeup aisle, which brightly glowed against everything else in the convenience store. Takeshi smiled happily, eyes scanning through the many brands—Cover Girl, Lancome, Neutrogena, and all of the other brands he didn't know existed. Rubbing his chin, the baseball player realized he would have to search more thoroughly if he was going to find concealer.

"What do you even need? Eyeliner? Mascara? Lipstick?" Gokudera impatiently kicked him in the shin. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, fucktard baseball idiot!"

Takeshi yelped in pain, despite the fact it was an easy dodge, and laughed evenly. "Concealer."

Gorgeous green eyes glimmered, clearly annoyed and impatient, but didn't speak a word. Instead, Gokudera walked past him, standing straight in front of the Cover Girl section before his hand landed on one in particular. "Here."

"Mm? Ah, I'm looking for something paler. It's for Tsuna, not for me." Takeshi rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, stalking over until he was only a foot away from Gokudera. The hand that'd reached out, touching the makeup so acutely was now tense and his eyebrows had furrowed deeper. Takeshi caught this and immediately laughed it off. "Haha. What made you want to use this brand anyway?"

"Haru uses it."

It was Takeshi's turn to be tense. They stayed quiet, and he reached out to the concealer closest to what he thought was Tsuna's skin tone. So that's how it's gonna be, he thought grimly as he followed Gokudera through the medicine aisle. Hayato could talk about his girlfriend all he wanted, but Takeshi himself couldn't mention a friend he was really comfortable with?

"Don't," Gokudera muttered once his hand wrapped around a box of contact solution, "bring him up when it's just the two of us."

"Okay." It would take a while until Gokudera got used to Takeshi wanting Tsuna around. He could tell that. A soft smile spread across his lips, and he leaned over the counter only watching as his best friend got the rest of his belongings. He fingered the concealer, wondering how on earth he would get the two to get along with each other. Tsuna had been tolerant, but he doubted the brunet would last long. Come to think of it, he thought as he fiddled with a wrinkle in his pants, they weren't exactly compatible as friends, either. It was a shame; they had so much in common.

"Shit." A slender pianist hand made its way through silvery hair and the shorter teenager scowled. Takeshi snapped out of his ministrations just in time to see the hotheaded on the tips of his toes, strings of different curses in both Italian and Japanese exploding from his mouth.

"Ah, is that why you didn't wear your contacts today, haha?" Takeshi shifted position, ignorantly pressing up against his best friend and used his extra few inches of height to reach the contact cases. Under him, he felt Gokudera tense, but only leaned forward until he grabbed the case the other was aiming for. "I know you don't like wearing your glasses a lot, haha."

"I-Idiot," stammered Gokudera. He elbowed the taller teenager in the stomach and immediately whirled around. Red splattered across his face, eyebrows dipping angrily.

"Mm?" The baseball player tilted his head cutely, smiling genuinely before observing their situation. "Ah, Gokudera…"

Gokudera looked away, arms crossed over his chest and eyes shut. He was trembling.

Takeshi's grin widened, though hesitantly, and he deeply sighed before peeling off. Too soon, too soon. He turned around, mind clogged by other thoughts. Was there anything else he needed to grab? Tsuna was most likely done with his shower now, so it would be best to get home and discuss arrangements. He was sure the futon was in his closet; he hadn't had to pull it out since the last time Gokudera slept over. Which was…before baseball season ended last year. His faced twisted, troubled, but he only continued in that same direction.

"Moron." Another hand snatched up his wrist. Takeshi looked over his shoulder, caught off guard, but the other teenager wasn't looking him in the eye. Instead, he pulled Takeshi forward, darting in the opposite direction. "The cashier is _this way._ What else could you _possibly_ need since you're already so fucking warped that you're wearing makeup?"

Takeshi's eyes fell to the tight grip his best friend had over his wrist. It was the same one that'd broken a few short months ago before healing, and it kind of hurt. But he endured it, laughing softly as they got to the cashier. "Haha. Do you want to pay together?"

"Hmph. Fine, but you're putting out." They continued in silence, goofy smile across Takeshi's face. They paid the cashier, muttering a soft thank you before leaving on route for Yamamoto Sushi.

And that god damn hand was still clutching his wrist. Butterflies soared in his stomach. Takeshi spared glances on the tight grip once in a while as he held Tsuna's small bag of makeup closely in the other, and frowned uncomfortably. He wanted to like it. He really, really wanted to like it. "Gokudera…I—"

"You know, baseball freak," Gokudera muttered softly. If possible, his slender—almost bony—fingers tightened over Takeshi's. "We haven't really had time; just the two of us in quite a long time."

"You haven't held my hand since kindergarten. Haha." Takeshi tilted his head, jingling his occupied hand lightly, but Gokudera must have mistaken it for some lovey-dovey antic since he held it still. His expression left grimly, eyes plastered on their wrists and stopped half a block from the sushi bar. "Gokudera—let go of my hand." There was no response. "Gokudera—"

"Why do you call _him_ by his first name?" The other vehemently turned around, stopping abruptly in front of his best friend with a glare. He gritted his teeth and twisted Takeshi's arm ever-so slightly. "You barely know him—less than five days! We've known each other for more than five years, and you're doting on Sawada like he's your fucking lover!"

Well, that pissed him off. "Me?" Takeshi snapped viciously, venomously appalled. He jerked his hand away and looked down to Gokudera—literally. "How come I can't just talk to someone else without you getting on my case? I don't _like_ Tsuna like that!"

"Tsuna, Tsuna, _Tsuna! _The tenth one! He's the fucking _tenth_ person you call by their first name while we've known each other much longer than that! You treat him like a brother more than me!" Gokudera tossed his head back, hand running irritably through his hair.

Takeshi's expression darkened. "You know I don't want a brotherly relationship with you."

"Which is why it's so fucking annoying! It's so _creepy_ that you actually have feelings for me and it's so damn _stupid_ that I can't believe you want to be with a punk like that! Me!" Gokudera punched him harshly in the shoulder. "You're supposed to like _me_!"

"I'm in love with _you_!"

"I-Idiot, don't say that so l-loud!" Gokudera struck him in the arm and slammed his feet into the ground forward.

Takeshi's lips twisted. He sighed, knowing that it would only frustrate the both of them if they didn't make up as soon as the fight was over, and he disliked it when Gokudera was angry with him. In a way he was relieved, though. The fight had finally gotten out, loud and clear and the ongoing war had been eating him up inside. He touched the silver-haired teen's shoulder, and immediately the other whirled around. "I'm sorry."

Gokudera glared at him for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he scoffed and turned back around. "Don't say sorry unless you mean it."

"I don't like fighting with you."

"Y-Yeah? W-Well, don't touch me!" Gokudera jerked away from the fingers on his bicep and kept a gritty six inches of distance between them. "…let's hurry up before your old man starts to worry."

"Gokudera, you know…" Takeshi's eyebrows furrowed worriedly and he reached out to touch his first love. "You know I wouldn't try anything while you're dating Haru-san."

"…" The silver-haired teenager looked away, refusing to see eye-to-eye with his best friend. "Shut up. This conversation never happened, got it? Now let's get some sushi because you fucking well owe me something to eat."

In some weird, twisted way, that was Hayato's way of saying, 'I'm sorry and I wish I could take back everything I said.' Takeshi took a deep breath, sighing softly before he laughed. "Okay."

He wasn't sure if Gokudera closing the space between them was comforting or some twisted cruel fate by God.

OoOoO

This was stupid. This was horrible, awkward, and Tsuna had absolutely no idea how he landed in this situation. His head hurt, and the rest of him ached like hell. Fortunately he was getting used to the pain because of the painkillers, and about fifteen minutes after Yamamoto left the room, he managed to stand up properly and hold both the pants and shirt lain out for him. Yamamoto hadn't given him a spare pair of boxers, which would have bordered over awkward, anyway.

There was a slight limp in his foot, and he remembered faintly one of the guys picking him up by the leg like the bullies on cartoons did in order to collect lunch money and sickeningly twist it. He shivered and wrapped the half-melted bag of frozen peas on his foot for a second before hopping down the hall and to the linen closet where he knew the towels would be.

Yamamoto was too nice to him.

And just as nice to him after the big secret of how lame he really was came out. Tsuna wasn't sure what he was more ashamed of; the fact he let himself get bullied and both Enma's teddy bear and grandpa's mittens or the fact he thought Yamamoto would ditch him as soon as he found out the brunet was nothing more than "No Good Tsuna."

He was relieved that the pain was gone, but the way his foot would bend was horrible. Tsuna grabbed a random towel, sighing before he thought of ways to get his mittens and teddy bear back. Why was he…why was he so _stupid_?

"What am I gonna do? First I rip the head off and now it's stolen! And…those were my lucky mittens." Fidgeting a little, the poor teenager made it halfway through the hall when footsteps ascended up the stairs and the older Yamamoto appeared before him.

"Ah, Tsuna-kun." Yamamoto's father flashed a look of concern, mouth turning into a frown. "Are you alright?"

"Y…Yeah," Tsuna breathed. His voice hurt.

The other didn't look convinced. Rather than the joyful grin his son flashed whether or not it was the proper situation, the elder Yamamoto crossed his arms and blocked Tsuna's narrow path on the way to the bathroom. "It would be fine if you wanted to stay here the night."

Seriously? That was…awesome. Fantastic. Amazing. "What about my brother?" And his curfew was technically in an hour and a half.

"I don't think you have the energy to walk all the way there and tell him you'll be sleeping over. I know you don't have a cellphone, son." The old man smiled gently and rested a hand on Tsuna's shoulder. The teenager cringed. "G-san came by looking for you. We sent him off and said that you would be sleeping over and my boy is over at the convenience store…buying concealer."

Er, he was hoping he'd only muttered that in his hysterical mind. Tsuna reddened. "I-I'll p-pay him back every cent."

"Does this happen a lot?" Kinda. "Tsuna-kun, if you ever need somewhere to go, then you could stay here. You're obviously in no condition to go to school tomorrow."

"Ah, that's what the concealer's for." Tsuna scratched his head with his good arm and shrugged. And he knew the obvious option would have been to tell an adult. But he never told Nana, and his mother was concerned for him. Which was why she never questioned the makeup bag. And tattling to _Alaude-san_ of all people wasn't exactly an optimistic thought. "I'll be fine, Yamamoto-san."

He didn't look convinced. Luckily, there was no questioning. "You can always come here."

"Thanks. Oh, uh." The brunet's head perked up and his eyes widened curiously. "Do you think I could get a job here?"

"You can make sushi?" The surprise in the other's voice was very genuine.

"S-Sort of. I u-used to help my mother out all the time, a-and I want to pay Yamamoto back for all the money he's spent on me." Tsuna leaned into the wall and gripped everything in hand tightly. "I'll clean the dishes or wait on people. I-I'm good at it, I swear."

And he wouldn't be grounded from washing the dishes like _other_ certain places.

"I'll think about it. Takeshi should be back in a few minutes and we'll make dinner for both you and him. Does that sound good?"

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna sighed in relief and stood on both feet. "Thank you very much, Yamamoto-san."

"You're welcome. Anything else?"

"Can I use your phone?" Tsuna sighed softly and forced a smile across his lips. It was going to bite his chest until he called the redhead, and at least this way, the small candle of joy he had for his best friend could be ignited. Good news, bad news. Fun.

"Alright. Shower first, Tsuna-kun." Yamamoto-san eyed him warily before he softly chuckled and turned back toward the stairs.

The brunet smiled awkwardly before trudging down the hall to the bathroom across from Yamamoto's bathroom. He shut it softly, taking in the familiar sight of dark blue rubber ducky wallpaper. He peeled the school shirt off his torso and flipped the nozzle before letting his boxers drop like a puddle on the ground. It bothered him not to go to his brother and tell him how beat up he was.

But it also scared him. Tsuna fidgeted as water splashed his eye and ran a hand through tangled hair. He accidentally palmed the bump on his head and sighed. If Giotto were to find out his illegitimate brother was more of a loser than he already thought, what would happen?

Giotto was nothing like Yamamoto. Yamamoto smiled at him, laughed, and sincerely wanted to be his friend. Giotto and he weren't even close enough to be considered _acquaintances._ While true it was the adult who confronted him first, he also made it blatantly clear that he didn't want anything to do with Tsuna.

The brunet grimaced and grabbed the bar of soap. He squeezed the soft solid in his hands and rubbed his stomach, hand lightly grazing over the small scar that delve down.

He wished G was his brother. Biologically, that was. If G was his brother, then he wouldn't have to worry as much, because the redhead faintly reminded him of Enma in some twisted kind of fate, and made him feel comfortable since the first day they knew each other.

Come to think of it, _why_ was he so comfortable with Tsuna? The brunet arched an eyebrow, suddenly leaning into the title behind him and crossed his arms. G was very mature, calm, cool, and collected. His demeanor was the calm before the storm, and the redhead _looked_ like a tyrant who could blow anyone up. Or like Gokudera-kun if he mellowed with age.

Tsuna snorted, then realized his mistake as some of the water made it up his nose. He sneezed by instinct and shook his head. Perhaps it was just G's personality to be the way he was. But…as Giotto's best friend…he would think…

He would think G would be twice as hateful toward him since he was nothing but a bastard child.

N-Not that he really thought about himself that way. Tsuna shoved the thought out of his head before he shampooed and conditioned. Finally done, the teenager turned the shower off and hopped out of the shower. He rotated his bad ankle carefully, and decided that it was nothing more than a minor sprain. Walking on it wouldn't prove to be _too_ much difficulty.

Still. He wondered if the first aid kit had any wraps. Tsuna dried himself off and redressed in his things. Wiping the mirror clean, the teenager took a good look at himself and grimaced.

He looked torn up. Horrible. And that black eye sucked. If this was how he looked after showering, he didn't want to know how badly beaten up he appeared when Yamamoto found him.

After he gathered his things, Tsuna crept out of the bathroom.

Just in time to see silver hair.

"Crap." Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening in pure shock, but the word was heard. Grouchy green eyes turned his way before doubling twice their size, same expression as the brunet for a quick moment before he blinked and turned around to the baseball player who had a small bag in his hand.

Yamamoto tilted his head and smiled. "Ah, Tsuna. You look so much cleaner now; you were such a mess before, haha."

"What the hell is he doing here?" Gokudera-kun snapped angrily. "That's _it._ I'm _out._" He whirled around dramatically to head down the stairs he'd gone up of, but Yamamoto grabbed his arm tightly and laughed ever-so obliviously.

"Gokudera, you were complaining about not having any food. Haha, don't worry too much. Tsuna is spending the night!" Yamamoto gestured to his room and guided both boys to the small coffee table sitting idly in the middle. "Ah, Tsuna. You're limping—does it hurt that bad?"

"Th-The painkillers help."

"Hm, I hope I wasn't too rough on you on the way here. You were in hysterics at the time…"

"I-I couldn't feel it the first time. I think it hurt too much for me to care."

"Aw, sorry, Tsuna." Yamamoto smiled pityingly and guided the boy back to the bed Tsuna forgot to make. "I'll be gentler next time."

Hopefully there wouldn't be. But begging Yamamoto had baseball practice for the rest of the week, leaving Tsuna defenseless from bullies. He knew now which way to exit the school building, but _had_ to get those mittens back. And his teddy!

"Sorry I left your bed in such a mess," Tsuna muttered softly. His eyebrows furrowed and he cringed as he felt the medicine starting to wear off.

"Haha, no problem. I'll clean it off later; I'm surprised you're even moving." Yamamoto reached over to the first-aid kit at the edge of his mattress and opened it. "Ah, Gokudera, while you're here, do you think you could take a look at Tsuna?"

The brunet gulped, forgetting that the Gokudera was even in the room. He didn't know how he _could._ The green-eyed hothead was glaring his way. "Does the fucking brat hurt _that much_?"

Tsuna blinked through the headache he was gathering. His eyes slowly fell to the aspirin sitting under Yamamoto's lamp and he shivered. Yamamoto caught that look immediately and reached for said painkillers and the same bottle of water. "Yes, he does. Could you take a look at him and make sure he'll be fine? I'll go make sushi for us, haha."

"Dammit, you baseball idiot! Do I fucking _look like_ I want to take care of this douche?" Gokudera slammed his fists into the table.

The flurry of curses suddenly reminded Tsuna of the other day when Giotto poorly tried to drive. Huh. "Ah, Y-Yamamoto…I need to…use the phone…to make a phone call and…such." He sighed in relief as the two pills were placed in his hands and sipped it eagerly. He didn't expect for the aspirin to wear off so quickly.

"Oh? Here, you can use my cell." Yamamoto stood up from his kneeling position and placed the phone next to Tsuna like the teenager was a little kid. He grinned casually and stood up before looking over his shoulder. "Please? _Hayato_?"

Apparently something had happened while Tsuna was fighting consciousness. The silver-haired teenager exploded into a large blush before looking away, grumbling. "D-Don't fucking use my name!"

"Okay. Watch out, Tsuna. Haha." The door slammed behind the baseball player easily.

Somehow the action only irked Gokudera further as he stood up, making the bed shake a little. Tsuna trembled despite the fact his injuries were yet again being numbed. The silver-haired teenager stalked forward to get a good look at him.

"Hi, Gokudera-kun," Tsuna muttered quietly. He winced when the other clutched his shoulder and shut his eyes. His breath hitched as a hand grabbed the thin lining of his shirt and yanked it from his collar bone.

"No goddamn hickeys, no love bites, and so long as you used lube when you guys fucked like rabid bunnies, you should be fine." Gokudera leaned over, bitter scowl spread across his demeanor. "What, did he ram into you so hard that you hit your face in the headboard?"

…What? The exhausted brunet reexamined his conversation with the dark-haired teenager, and—oh _god._ Somehow his tired mind put together two-and-two, and though obviously jealous, Gokudera had thought they were…then again, the conversation did seem kind of…_sexual…_ Instead of freaking out and unmanly squeaking like he had a tendency to do, he found himself pulling a rather…_Enma-esque_ move. "He and I didn't have sex."

Gokudera was fiercely glaring at him. "And why the fuck do you think I would believe that? You're even wearing his goddamn clothes!"

"You said yourself th-that you didn't find any hickeys." He would think his black eye would be an indication that he'd gotten _beat up_ after school. Obviously the flustered silver-haired teenager was so caught up in his green-eyed envy that he didn't notice. But he was feeling incredibly lethargic. And knew that he needed to call his best friend. And somehow the overdose of painkillers was making him incredibly annoyed and fed up at the moment. "I got _bullied_, okay? I get beat up. I'm a loser. And you should know by now that Yamamoto is so head-over-heels in _love_ with you and his affection is so genuine that he'd never cheat. And he has no obligation to you other than being a friend. And has respected that. And…a-and…god, I need to make a phone call!"

If Tsuna had looked at himself in the mirror, he would have seen the specks of fiery orange igniting in his deep brown eyes. Instead, he didn't and somehow he knew in the morning he wouldn't remember this conversation. Medicine never had a good effect on his mental state to begin with.

He dialed the number quickly, ignoring the look of surprise Gokudera was giving back for his standing on his own two feet (figuratively. His left foot was still twitching weirdly) and sighed in relief. "Shitopi-chan? Can I talk to Enma?"

"_Yo, Tsuna! What's up? How come we haven't talked in forever?" _

The teenager's lips curtsied uncomfortably. "I moved."

"_Whaaat, really? Does Enma know?" _

"Yes. C-Can I please talk to him?"

"_, !"_

Oh, his poor ear. Tsuna pulled the phone away from his face, cringing, but not surprised. From the look on Gokudera's face, the other teenager wasn't expecting it. Whatever stupor the brunet suddenly didn't remember he put the scary teenager in, it suddenly broke off and Gokudera was examining the bump on his forehead.

The other teenager poked it lightly, and Tsuna _thought_ he slapped the hand away by instinct and discomfort, but couldn't remember. Gokudera grumbled something under his breath before reaching into the first aid kit and successfully pulled out a wrap. His hand slid down the shorter's leg until it secured around his swollen ankle and gently wound around it.

"_Hello?"_

"Enma." From that, the brunet felt himself grinning like he had been earlier today, with a thousand-watt smile. Gokudera must have noticed, because he arched an eyebrow before bandaging his bad ankle.

"_Tsuna…you sound…are you okay?"_

"Namimori bullies hit harder than Shimon bullies. When you come over, I'll try to keep you away from them." Tsuna laughed awkwardly and scratched his head.

"_...'when'?" _

"He said yes." Suddenly, the shorter teenager felt like he was a giddy school girl. He sat erect on the bed, watching idly as Gokudera finished wrapping is ankle and moved onto the nail scratches on his arm. The other teenager quickly pulled out the alcohol, and Tsuna grimaced with disdain.

"_You mean…_"

"You can come over for my birthday. Um, if you're free, that is." Looking to the side, he bit his lip harshly as Gokudera applied the disinfectant against his arm. "That way…it's far enough that we can plan early, but it's close enough that I won't have to wait _too_ long to see you."

There was a sigh of relief on the other line. _"I'd like that._"

"Me too. Ah, I'm not using a payphone at the moment, and I don't want to waste my friend's minutes. And he's really nice—you'll like him. Them." Tsuna bit his lip and watched Gokudera's reaction carefully as the other teenager slapped a large Band-Aid on his arm. He didn't seem to notice. "Both of them."

"_Okay. I have to work on a science project anyway._"

"I'll call you as soon as I can." Tsuna leaned into the phone, eyebrows furrowing worriedly.

"_I love you, Tsuna._"

"Love you too." Well, that certainly caught the other teenager's attention. They said their goodbyes gently, and Tsuna shut the phone. Green eyes stared at him intently, but their lips were closed. "He's my best friend."

"You say 'I love you' to your best friend?" Gokudera snorted and glared at him. "Doesn't sound so _friendly_ in my opinion."

Neither does your blushing every time Yamamoto says your name, Tsuna wanted to say. He held his tongue, hand clenching the duvet behind him and observed the well-done bandaging on his ankle. "What…made you change your mind?"

"I wasn't fucking disgusted by the hickeys on your neck." Green eyes narrowed irritably at him.

Duly noted. Tsuna sighed softly in defeat, mind not registering what had happened in the last ten minutes. The painkillers were doing more than killing his pain—they were killing his memory of today. He hugged his knees closely to his chest and leaned forward. Gokudera sat parallel to him on the ground. "I'm sorry."

Gokudera snorted. "What happened to your fucking balls two seconds ago before you picked up the phone, Sawada?"

He was pretty sure they were stolen when he was pantsed. Tsuna scratched his head even though it wasn't itchy, and shrugged. "I-I…don't want to be in your hair more than I already am. Y-Yamamoto and I are j-just friends, I swear."

"I don't care." But the red was clear across Gokudera's faced. In fact, the teenager couldn't be any more _obvious._ And Tsuna was horrible when it came to love.

"I-I'm not in love with Yamamoto. I'm uh…I'm in love with Enma." Well, if it hadn't been obvious before how horrible of a liar he was, then it now a true fact in the room. Just the mere thought of being in love with his best friend turned his face redder than said scarlet-eyed teenager's hair, but for all of the wrong reasons. And it seemed even more wrong that his mind was fixated on the fact his brother was the most devastatingly gorgeous man on the face of the planet.

Fortunately Gokudera misinterpreted that blush. "Really."

"Gokudera-kun, when did you and your girlfriend start dating?" Despite the fact he was scared as hell, Tsuna was sure his little white lie (something he was _incredibly guilty_ about) was enough to mollify the demonic teenager.

"April. Why?"

"N-Nothing." April was when baseball season ended. April was when Yamamoto broke his wrist. April was the reason why the baseball player was so…depressed. "Ah, G-Gokudera-kun, why don't you sleep over too?"

"_Why_?" This one was more forceful, but luckily for Tsuna, the other teenager seemed a bit enticed by the idea. "Wait, why the fuck are you even trying to be friendly with me, you shithole?"

Erk. "H-He's _your_ best friend," Tsuna whispered softly. The medicine was kicking in again, and his exhaustion would have already gotten the better of him if his stomach didn't feel so empty. "And I want to be friends with you."

The green-eyed glower he was getting was really scary. "I see."

The door burst open before anything else could be said. Yamamoto laughed wholesomely and held two large plates of sushi in his hands. "Haha, I'm back. You guys didn't kill each other, right?" Surprisingly the question sounded more serious than the tone suggested.

"Hmph. Not yet, you fucking baseball idiot."

"Ah! You fixed him up! Tsuna, you must be starving, huh? Haha."

"Oh…hah." The brunet nodded slowly and yawned.

The rest of the night was a blur. They ate, talked about random stuff, and somehow Tsuna was sure he drifted off to sleep before either of the others did. But he caught Yamamoto lightly asking if Gokudera wanted to sleep over, and the blushing green-eyed hothead covering Tsuna's body with a blanket.

Hopefully this night made _some_ difference.

OoOoO

"You _live_ here?" So close? So…so near him?

"Yeah? So what?" Gokudera automatically put up a defensive barrier, but he didn't seem all too irritated. The trio had woken up early thanks to the green-eyed teenager, and Yamamoto immediately told Tsuna to go visit his brother. What he hadn't expected was to find out that one of the crappy apartments in the building actually belonged to the short-tempered teen.

"Nothing," Tsuna squeaked nervously. He leaned into Yamamoto's grasp, wincing at his swollen ankle that'd been wrapped and iced early that morning, and was fortunate Yamamoto found a pair of his old middle school pants Tsuna could wear until he got his back.

"Gokudera got it when he was fourteen, haha. The thought of G-san and his sister together in the same house made him gag and he refused to stay there after they got back from their honeymoon. Fortunately they got divorced." Yamamoto grinned and patted the silver-haired teenager affectionately on the head. "But he likes the independence too much to move back, haha."

"Hey! Don't be talking about my life's stories!" Red scattered across Gokudera's face, and he punched Yamamoto aggressively in the arm. "Anyway I gotta get dressed before walking my woman to school. You two…go on ahead…and do whatever the fucking hell you want to do to each other."

Well, that certainly caught Yamamoto off guard. His eyes widened, easygoing demeanor simply forgotten. "Really? You don't mind?"

"Why the hell would I mind? Just don't taint him with your damn homosexuality-shit." Gokudera punched him again before stalking away to the opposite side of the building, grumbling something about dynamites and explosives.

All the while, Tsuna stood there, long forgotten and utterly confused. He scratched his head curiously and tilted his head. Normally Gokudera would be up in his face and cussing him out. Had something happened last night?

"Ah, Tsuna. Can you make it up the stairs by yourself?"

Crap. He knew he forgot _something._ The brunet's entire complexion paled; all but his eye that was well-hidden with skillfully-placed concealer. It would be _so_ much easier if someone carried him.

"Oh, okay. Those stairs have some bad holes in them anyway." …wait, did he just voice that out loud? Before the shorter had the chance to protest, he was squeaking as broad arms picked him up and rather casually, hiked up to Giotto's apartment door like he weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.

"Y-Yamamoto…" Tsuna gulped, red scattering across his face.

"Haha, I don't want you to end up hurting your ankle unless you need to!" Yamamoto gave him a full smile; one Tsuna had rarely seen upon meeting the baseball player. What put him in such a good mood, the brunet wondered. The taller teenager must have rang the doorbell sixty-seven times before the door whipped open, fiery eyes obviously irritated to be woken up at literally 7:02AM in the morning.

When they matched scared chocolate, however, they were caught off guard. Giotto blinked quite a few times, and Tsuna felt himself turn pink before he pleaded for Yamamoto to let him down.

"I'm gonna go check up on Hayato, Tsuna. Haha. I'll come back in ten or so minutes to help you down the stairs, okay?" Yamamoto grinned, waving casually before he glided down the stairs.

Why couldn't _he_ walk down the stairs like that? Tsuna sighed enviously, shutting the door behind him and came face-to-face with Giotto. He gulped and looked down to the ground. "Hi."

"I heard you lost your pants yesterday." And his mittens and his teddy bear. Come to think of it, he forgot to tell _Enma_ about the condition of the bear. He was really pathetic. "Because you're…trying out for the track team?"

Wait, what? Tsuna looked up again, confused, and it took him a second to realize Yamamoto must have concocted a lie to G. He nodded, red scattering across his face before diligently limping to the couch to his things. "I-I'm s-sorry I didn't tell you that I would be out."

Giotto muttered something under his breath, but the teenager didn't catch it. "By technicality, G told me before your curfew. You're fine. Does this mean my belt's missing, too?"

Crud. Tsuna stood up in the air, far too quickly, and collapsed from his throbbing leg. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I-I'll buy you a n-new one, I swear." Please don't kill me, he thought in his head.

"I have twenty others just like it. Are you limping?"

"U-Uh…" Yes. Of course. Most definitely. Si. Oui. Hai. Any other word in the dictionary that confirmed his suspicion. Giotto walked forward in long strides, and the teenager took the time to realize what state his brother was in _this _morning. Messy bed hair. Long pajama pants. And…well, that was it. His brother wasn't wearing a shirt, and he was oddly fit for a guy as rich as Donald Trump.

"Hey." The blond leaned over, voice groggy but spirited. He tilted his head, and Tsuna forced himself to stop shaking as their noses accidentally brushed together. "Takeshi-kun must have worked you hard, hm?"

"Y-y…yeah…"

"Are you gay?"

And with that, Tsuna's entire face was redder than the couch. One, he faintly realized with a light head, that was different from the one he slept on the day before. His mouth opened slowly, then closed. He wasn't sure what to say.

"…new rule," Giotto said this time, voice strict and like it had been the night Tsuna had been confronted. The adult stood high and mighty, annoyance written across his face. "Your new curfew is at 6:30, but I'd prefer you be home right after school. No looking back."

"E-Eh…?"

There was nothing else said. Giotto hadn't even pointed out Tsuna's answer was neither a yes nor a no. The blond simply muttered something about going back to sleep, slamming the door behind him and left Tsuna in silence.

Now the teenager had two problems. He didn't have the _time_ to find a payphone to call Enma, and his brother just gave him an impossible curfew since the last time he checked…Giotto didn't get home until 9PM.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

And contrary to naïve little Tsuna's ignorance, CONCEALER DOES NOT BLUSH WHEN YOU BLUSH. So like, I laugh so hard when writing this chapter, coz I'd always look at the word count, and the first time I got 8027. When I looked again, it was 8059. And I almost got lucky the third time, but I stopped at 8070 instead. Isn't that so weird? Haha.

Sooo, looking at this chapter, you basically just saw full blown 8059 with Tsuna taking up a very cute corner up top. It was unintentional that way, but there's no heavily impliedness anymore—you know the couple's gonna happen. Eventually. Maybe. Or I'll tease you and end up running for my life. Hehehe. Yay, Gokudera and Tsuna got along—but only when Tsuna's on…drugs? You know how Giotto has his oddities on the road? I'm making it so that HDWM!Tsuna comes out whenever he's drunk or taking medicine. Some lower case of that, that is. Sooo… What's Tsuna gonna do? TBC! Um, reviews would be nice! :D

PS: Two new stories up you guys should check out. ;D **Skylight Panorama, **the smutshot that I promised you guys if the challenge was met, and **Time's Up**, the epically long 2700 story to prove to you guys that this is a **G27 **story. And I'm not going to change it and erm, whatnot. Hehehe. And no challenge this time. I'm too lazy this week. ;D


	7. bonding and crutches

**sender unknown **That's good! 8059 is one of my favorite pairings, actually. AND YAY FOR EPIC GOGGLES. :D **ToniChanLovesCookies** heehee. When Giotto gets jealous, you shall notice. Just trust me on this; it's as obvious as how badly he does driving on the road. Shirtless Giotto? I wonder _why _he's shirtless, nudgenudge, winkwink. Enma and Gokudera…that's going to be so epic, haha. **–Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac-** That's good! Tsuna and Gokudera in this story make me laugh. Hehe. **FaerieDemon** I'm thinking of what chapter to put Haru in. And this chapter drops a lot of hints about Giotto's personality; he mostly just said "Are you gay" to see if Tsuna would blush. Hehe. Why can't he try out for the track team? **ayumistar00** Updated! Thanks for the review! **copycat-capycot** your review was so huge that it doesn't even fit on my screen, haha. I actually…dislike 5927. I can understand why people like it, but I never really liked it at all. So 8059 is the way I roll for this, hehe. G and Tsuna…time to solve the mystery, kids! And that conversation made me lol so hard I'm wondering if I should do that for Enma and Tsuna. Herher. **Mirriox** Giotto is so blunt. Haha. Gokudera and Yamamoto…their relationship is so cute in this; I just adore it. :D And G27 is on the way; I can't wait till Enma comes into the picture. :D **Kichou** Thanks for the review! **y0u** I love them together. :D They're one of my favorite couples, and 2700 is one of my OTPs now, hehe. I love how intimate of friends they are in this. Have fun reading the other two tomorrow? Haha. tyty! **HetChrome** Out of all of the people, I think Gokudera is probably the most OOC. But I like him the way he is and maybe it's just weird when he's not affectionately going up to Tsuna and saying, TENTH! Yamamoto~ has a crush on G. It is so cute and adorable, just a wee little crush. I love the combo of pairings. And this chapter of all makes me lol so hard. :D **Fire Princess21** Haha, Giotto just is too blunt for his own good. And I'm glad you like Skylight Panorama, that was so much fun to write. C: **TL's** 8027 is a really cute friendship, but their chemistry is just so much fun. xD Tsuna's shy sarcasm and Yamamoto's naivete ftw. Hehe. I probably could be home by 6:30, it wouldn't bother me. But having the restriction and curfew would drive me crazy, lmao. **gracefulsunshine **Nope. This story is completely AU, so that means the mafia isn't involved whatsoever unless they're watching it on TV. C': **Kanberry** Yes! Giotto is being overprotective! And it's absolutely adorable! **kikyokyoyahibari **his brother is twenty-five years old. I think eventually they'll have beer around the house. Haha. Tsuna has himself in a bind. And it's fine! **lemonlimediddies **I might have another challenge again at this story~ Who knows! **AlcoholicTree** Aw, that's so sweet! Thanks for the review! **Breathless02** Maybe Giotto goes all Superman and steals them back. Rawr. Thanks for the review! **thepieh0le** Because Hayato suffers from shyness and has too much pride to admit it! lmao! D: **meltmallow **I love all of them so far, and gotta find a way to sneak everyone else in there. Hehehe. Alaude and Hibari shall do so. I wonder who bites harder; Alaude or Hibari? ;) Tsuna's in character, _hopefully._ Gokudera is too bitter for his own good. He and Yamamoto should just drop and have secks right thar nao. **Zarokin** Cool. You're in China? :D That's awesome! Gokudera probably will just call him 'Tenth', but obviously for different reason. It's weird writing his character like this. Hehe. Tsuna just can't win. It's so sad…but the way he loses is both funny adorable. Lol. **SeeminglyAdorable** That's good. But my story isn't looking for a committed relationship atm. ;D I try updating once a week; this is the first time in a while that I've been late for an update (by one day. LOL.) That's so sweet of you; I have another G27 idea in my head atm too. C: **plummy-kins** Reborn is so badass. I love him so much; I wonder if I'll have him break the fourth wall in the story later. Gokudera…needs to suck it up and go make out with that hot baseball player. Hehehe. **nimrodo** 8027 and 8059 are actually two of my favorite pairings. C': SO SUCK IT UP. MWAHAHA. **yamiatemyugi** Hm, are you one of my YGO fans? ;D The drama between them is gonna be really fun. :D I have a lot more 8027 fans than I thought I did; I think I might make a story of it just for you guys, hehe. **Like the Colors** That pun is so epic, Tsuna setting the record straight for Gokudera. Hehe. Enma and Tsuna….hmm, we'll see how far that "love triangle" goes between them. Hehe. Enma's birthday…I have something planned for that. :D Giotto and Tsuna atm really make me laugh. They would burn the house down in an instant if they were actually in a room for more than two minutes. Thanks for the review and enjoy the next chapter! **phil **I'm glad you like it! Thanks for the review! **C h r o m a TIXX **Six chapters is enough to create a masterpiece. A very short one, at that. Hehe. Tsuna's curfew is entertaining. Poor guy. ;D **Lenah-1827** I REMEMBERED. Poor Yamamoto. I just can't take him seriously at thimes, hehe. Yamamoto hasn't had surgery! I don't think so. Not yet, anyway. Sushi is hard to make. I still don't remember how to despite how many times mama tells me. Herherr. Bianchi and G's relationship shall be explained~ It has to be. Coz he gets a love interest later in the story, after all. :B **Lystra** Thanks for the review! **meerla11** I'm glad you like it so far! I don't wear concealer, actually, so I had no clue. Ah well, Yamamoto and Gokudera aren't makeup professionals. Hehe.

**chapter seven has** bonding and crutches.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

"Eek."

"You're quite possibly the only person that can get the boss out of bed. Though I suppose with that Yamamoto kid ringing the doorbell so many times, he would have to. I certainly wouldn't."

"W-Well—_eep!_" Tsuna covered his eyes, suddenly remembering that nearly two seconds ago he was staring at the ground and automatically assumed he was speaking to his brother. Unfortunately that hadn't been the case, and he now had a full-blown sight of a snow white-haired grown man leaning against the doorframe. Tsuna quickly checked his watch and realized that…that…_thirty minutes_ had passed!

Where was Yamamoto!

He'd been so caught up in his studies that when the door crept open again and the elegant, acutely accented Japanese reached his ears, it registered in his mind as his brother. Though that wasn't the case, and now Alaude stood before him in an exquisite black vest, purple dress shirt, long slacks—wait, that was the outfit Giotto had come home in just…just _yesterday!_ Tsuna's ears turned pink at the thought.

W-Wait. He was gone last night, and his brother knew it. Alaude was here, and…a-and…

Th-They had s-sex. He reddened at the thought, automatically collapsing into the couch as the horror crossed his mind. What caught him off guard was when a rather rough hand gripped his swollen ankle. But…gently. _Benevolently._

Still, Tsuna winced at the pain and cursed his Advil for being so light.

"You don't get this kind of sprain from running." A-And Alaude-san was still talking to him all too casually. Red dusted across his face, and the brunet peeped through the couch pillows to watch Alaude's reaction. He wasn't pleased.

"Did you stay over?" Tsuna asked, hoping that it would change the subject.

B-But the white-haired adult looked all too intent on finding out how he got the sprain. "We fucked on the coffee table. Did you get harassed on my school grounds?"

W…What was _that_! Alaude had answered all too casually, the "f" word sounding as if he were talking about the day, o-or the weather! Tsuna gulped in horror, eyebrows furrowed, but kept his mouth shut. Before he had the chance to nod, Alaude reached over, pressed up against a nervous teenager as he palmed away the concealer on his black eye.

Tsuna winced and yanked at the adult's wrist by pure instinct. It still hurt.

Suddenly, Alaude's grip on his ankle was even worse, and the pale complexion darkened with an irritated scowl more frightening than Giotto's. "You fought on school grounds."

"Wh-What makes you say that?"

"You have a fucking black eye and a sprained ankle – one I might add, is far from minor. Fighting on school grounds is prohibited. You're suspended today."

"Wh-_What_?" That wasn't…he had to…this…!

"Come on." Tsuna was yanked to his feet before he had the chance to bite back with another word. He grabbed his backpack in desperate attempt to keep his cool, but Alaude simply broke his focus by violently dragging him to the door (all the while, his ankle was throbbing under the wrap) and yanked it open.

"Ah! Tsuna, I—hmm? What's this—?"

"He's not going to school with you today." Alaude's eyes narrowed dangerously to the teenager who actually met his height. Yamamoto opened his mouth to speak, caught off guard, but quickly shut it as the adult dragged Tsuna down a flight of dangerous steps.

_EEK—ow, ow, ow, ow, ow—_"A-Alaude-san, I-I…" Tsuna yanked back forcefully, head aching and foot pounding in sync with his heart. Before he could help himself, the brunet collapsed next to the hole on the seventh step and was clutching his ankle rather tightly.

It _hurt._ He hadn't put any pressure on it aside from limping to and from Yamamoto's bedroom to the bathroom last night. This morning he had been leaning on the other two teenagers, and Yamamoto had _carried_ him up the stairs. Tsuna gripped the railing out of sympathy, head leaning against the crappy wood. Everything…e-everything _hurt…_

Alaude was far less gentle than Giotto. And that was _saying something._ "Get up. We're informing the school of your suspension and then getting Kyouya to find your accomplice."

"Ah…Doctor Brouille, don't you think that's a bit harsh—okay, haha. Shutting up now." The stairs under Tsuna vibrated softly, and Yamamoto made his way down to Tsuna's level before carefully scooping him up and slinging an arm over his shoulder.

Tsuna buried his nose into the scent of fresh grass and baseball. "Thanks," he breathed with relief. Wait. W-Wait… "He's a doctor?"

He looked up, eyes meeting with an irate Frenchman's, and Alaude simply stood there, hands tucked in a trench coat too early for autumn weather and a scowl curled deep against his lips.

"Well, _technically_, haha. He's not one of those doctors that, you know, heal your booboos and stuff, but he's got a Ph.D. in forensics and is a famous interrogator. He was top of the police force and…haha, somehow ended up in Namimori." Like how…Reborn-sensei was a borderline hitman. O-Or… Lal Mirch-sensei and Colonnello-sensei used to be in the military force before having honorable discharges from COMSUBIN.

Oh, _god._ Namimori was a nightmare.

Tsuna caught his breath, soft groan escaping his lips as they agilely made their way down the stairs and Yamamoto blindly followed "Doctor Brouille" toward the end of the parking lot. "Ah…Y-Yamamoto, how do you know so much about him? About…_everyone_, really?"

"Haha, G-san comes by and buys sushi all the time. And they live around town—I've grown up delivering sushi to everyone around here. Since it's not _too_ big of a town, you can pretty much know who everyone is really quickly, haha." While it was true that Namimori was nowhere near packed as Tokyo, the fact Yamamoto could be so well-known was still astonishing.

Come to think of it, when Giotto had come near the door, he simply called Yamamoto, "Takeshi-kun," as if they were familiar with each other. Tsuna looked up, head tilting to the side in curiosity. "Is there anyone else I should know about?"

It was official. Everyone in Namimori looked alike – even if they weren't related. Alaude-san and his nephew, the prefect, were uncanny. G and his apparent ex-brother-in-law, Gokudera-kun, were completely the same. Giotto and he…it was there. Their facial structure, their hairstyle. Somehow it appeared as obvious as it did vague and…well, they had different mothers. What Tsuna didn't have but Giotto did, the "brother-from-another-mother" theory…concept…_thing_ was plausible.

"Hmm, haha. I guess not, if you haven't met any of Giotto-niisan's friends yet." Giotto let _Yamamoto_ call him "big brother"? Tsuna's brow twisted uncertainly and he was thrown off guard when Yamamoto finally halted near a car.

A-A really _nice_ car. A…a _Porsche._ Did they…did they just _all_ have nice cars? Giotto, G, Alaude-san…_geez._ Tsuna would have rolled his eyes had it not been the murderous glimmer in the peak of icy blue eyes.

The silver-haired man held a pair of keys in his hand, and as Tsuna looked away in fear of being annihilated before fearfully noting that Giotto's Ferrari was right next to Alaude's car. Somehow the Ferrari still looked brand new despite how worn the seats felt, and he had to wonder how his brother, the Road Terror, was able to keep it in such good condition.

"He gets it polished every six months so no one notices the scratches."

Tsuna jumped from where he was leaning, and practically tripped had it not been for Yamamoto's grip. Alaude opened the passenger seat casually and stood there expectantly. Tsuna rolled his head to Yamamoto, eyebrows dipping and eyes glimmering in desperation.

Yamamoto didn't notice. "Doctor Brouille, we have some new sushi recipes if you'd like to come by anytime soon. You like tuna, right?"

Alaude broke into an amused smile. He yanked Tsuna by the hand and forced him in the passenger seat before another word could be said. "Oh? Tell your father that I'll come by sometime this weekend and pick some up."

Tsuna banged against the window. Or he would have, if he wasn't afraid of Alaude doing his own version of a one'eighty and suddenly…ramming his head into concrete. The sickening sound of the engine turning on filled his ears, and he gulped. He was _doomed_.

Yamamoto hung by the exterior, confusion written across his demeanor. "What do I do in class then? With Reborn-sensei and all?"

"Just get your butt to school before the bell rings. I'll handle everything else when it comes to this guy." Alaude eyed him lightheartedly, one hand against the car seat before he shut it. Yamamoto knocked on the window, still confused, but the adult simply ignored him. He backed the car out forcefully, and Tsuna fidgeted as his head met the window.

He speedily yanked the seatbelt over his shoulder, trembling, and coiled both hands in the knees of his pants. They went off to a smooth stride, surprisingly, and in the opposite direction of Namimori High. Tsuna blinked, opening his mouth to say something against this, but Alaude was enticed by his driving.

Wasn't this…considered _kidnapping_? Or…w-well, Giotto was his guardian, so…He ran a hand through his hair and snorted. That sort of made Alaude-san his, like..., _mother_.

"I'm not his wife, nor the mother you came out of." Eek. He'd said it aloud. "That's what G's for."

Tsuna cocked his head to the side, caught off guard by the light smirk sprinkling the adult's features. He leaned into the window, creating as much of a gap as possible between them and decided that maybe…just _maybe_ he could trust Alaude a little more. The brunet relaxed a little, and quietly observed him. "H…How long have you guys known each other?"

"More or less eight years." Surprisingly enough, Alaude wasn't as scary of a person as he originally thought. Tsuna gulped, hands squeezing at his sweater as he remembered both his gloves and Rossella were stolen from him. "We all went to the same university together."

Curious brown eyes peered up. "In Italy?"

"France. The boss, G, and I went to the same school in a great university west of France for different reasons. I went for forensics and he went for business. All of us got stuck with each other in one dorm room and obviously it wasn't fun." Alaude snorted, recalling something Tsuna wasn't sure of, and they made a languid turn in a different direction.

Tsuna had never been in this part of town. Feeling braver, his hands messed with the hem of his shirt and he ran through all of his other questions. "Then…how did you end up in Namimori of all places?"

And of all things, why on _earth_ did Alaude suddenly break into a smile. "He more or less dragged me here."

"Gi…my brother?" He hadn't called his brother by his first name since his first day here. Tsuna blinked, realization setting in as he rested his head on his palm. It was true. There wasn't a chance to, and they never spoke to each other unless they were the only two people in the room. Come to think of it, none of their conversations even _involved_ other people. Was it really possible to go an entire week without calling someone by their first name?

"G did. Somehow or another, their problems became my problem as we helped out one of his old friends, Asari."

Tsuna arched an eyebrow and scratched his arm. "So uh, you and my brother are together, right?"

Frigid blue eyes glanced at him. The brunet gulped, afraid he'd crossed the line with that question, but they simply kept driving before Alaude muttered something under his breath. "Something like that."

"Have…I mean…erm…" Red scattered across his cheeks, and the brunet fiddled with his hair yet again. He looked around in all angles, unsure of what to say but forced to when Alaude came to a halt in front of the stop light. "Have my brother and G-san ever gotten together?"

Apparently that was enough to catch the chairman of the school board off guard. Blue eyes widened ever-so slightly in their own way, eyebrow arched curiously, and the man turned his entire upper half toward Tsuna as the car moved again. Oh god—what if they crashed!

Alaude-san laughed. Shortly, but it was enough to be some sort of a chuckle. "They've had drunken sex three times. One, I might add, was at G's bachelor party—but he was the one who took the initiative."

_Bachelor party_? Tsuna's eyes widened in shock, but he kept his mouth shut. He still had more questions to ask, but the more he found out, the more he was regretting have asking.

"Your brother is actually a good man. Very annoying by the way he constantly tries to repay my debts and butt into my personal life, but I know for a fact he means well. Just don't let him drive." Alaude-san was…_nothing_ like Tsuna imagined him. He was still very scary looking—but only that. For the most part while he'd been shy and timid, Alaude-san was blatant and to the point. The irritation written all too well on the white-haired man's face was enough to show he wasn't fond of Giotto's doings, but tolerated them easily. "Anything else?"

"Why does he hate me—" Oops. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. Tsuna bit on his lip and rubbed his palm into his pants. His head hurt again, and he felt the amusement of Alaude-san's eyes glaring into his sweater vest. Stretching out his collar, Tsuna shrugged again and leaned his head into the window. "G-san says he's indifferent to most people. The last time I saw him we didn't exactly like each other, and…please don't tell him."

"Granted I had no idea of your existence until a short few weeks ago, I'd say a relationship looming over three years would equal to not telling the boss your opinion of him." Err, fancy talking. Hopefully that meant,_ I'm not going to tell him._

Tsuna eyed him and regretted not bringing his sweatshirt along with him. "So…a-are you happy the way things are?"

"Tch. Something like that," grumbled the adult.

"O-Oh?"

"None of your business," said the chairman simply. He made his last and final turn into a pair of buildings. Tsuna looked up and quickly found out that the man had taken him to a clinic. For his ankle, no doubt. Before he had the chance to question why he hadn't been taken to the school, Alaude swiftly left the car and opened the passenger's seat.

Tsuna reddened as he became the center of the adult's attention. He delicately scooted out of the seat and stumbled clumsily into Alaude's arms. The adult muttered something condescending under his breath before pulling Tsuna's hand over his shoulder. He kicked the door shut (and surprisingly, the very amazingly gorgeous car showed no dent) before twisting his foot and dragging the poor brunet toward the dirty-looking clinic.

The teenager's eyes widened in horror as it quickly became a fact that although the outside looked like crap, the inside _most definitely_ looked worse. Different from Giotto's apartment, where the crazy young adult simply let the outside of his house look like the junkyard and inside prettier than King George's castle.

The floor was old and grimy like cement, windows tinted to keep others from peeping inside. Cockroaches and mosquitoes loomed about tiny holes in the wall, and the lights above flickered every time Tsuna's heartbeat.

Alaude shoved him into the petrified-wooden rocking chair and walked up to the secretary. The brunet looked around in horror, face paling with each passing second. He tried to get up, but was suddenly reminded of how horribly his foot ached. But…he ran a hand through his hair and slowly looked back up to Alaude, who was currently…th-threatening the secretary with a pair of handcuffs.

He was an odd man. But now Tsuna knew he was French, had been going out with Giotto for a long time now, and…e-even though they…knew each other for almost ten years, Giotto had never mentioned having a brother. The brunet squeezed the armrests of his rocking chair, eyes casting a glance downward as he took that news in.

Giotto hadn't told Alaude that he had a brother until now. Giotto had known Alaude since his college years.

With a small fidget, Tsuna rested both arms over his waist and sunk in his seat. Had…G been the same way? No. He'd met G. Tsuna didn't remember when or how during his only meeting with Giotto, but a mop of red hair caught his eye whenever recalling his elder brother.

Just…what was Giotto playing at? He smiled a little, but wasn't sure why. During the few short weeks they'd known each other, his opinion of his brother had changed, but…he didn't know if it was for better or worse. He knew his brother was…first of all, bad at driving. A wry smile spread across his face and he scratched his arm. Not once had he seen Giotto drunk (but he harbored alcoholic beverages, proven via G), lived in a Japanese city full of foreigners, and was nine years older than him.

That…didn't come down to a lot of information. Tsuna blinked, frown resting delicately across his face. That being said…a lot of classmates didn't know he had a brother. Granted, Enma was his only friend in Shimon along with his siblings, but Enma really was the only one who he told. And…the redhead was his best friend, the same way G was Giotto's.

And Enma was the only one who he told he was moving. Nana spoke to his teachers nearly a week ahead of time, so they didn't need to be informed, either. It explained why they didn't give him any homework. At Namimori, he barely knew anyone. Tsuna clung to Yamamoto easily, relieved that the taller teenager would accept him wholeheartedly. And for some strange reason, Gokudera was exactly the same way.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada?"

The teenager snapped out of his thoughts. He looked up, confusion written across his face as a nurse stood in front of him. He quickly looked around before concluding he was the _only_ patient, and glanced to Alaude, who was busy with what looked like paperwork.

Hesitantly, he pushed himself out of the seat and scampered after the nurse. She spared him no look, instead turning her foot and escorting him through the endless cement halls of the disturbing clinic.

"Eek—" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth and stumbled between his two feet. The nurse whirled around in curiosity. He shook his head. A-After all…i-it was just a s-spider. Finally they made their way to a different room where he was taken off guard. It was…_white._ It was…_painted._ Comfy looking, even.

The nurse rolled her eyes, mumbling something under her breath of him sitting down before leaving him alone. Tsuna looked to the cot planted in the middle of the room. A frown flattered his features and he hesitantly reached over, climbing with his good foot until he reached the top. The other foot twisted awkwardly.

"AH—" The brunet winced and bit on his own tongue. He trembled slightly, foot pulsing under the wrapping before he pulled it up near his thigh. A sigh left his throat and he curled his hands into the bedding. This was…aggravating. He checked his watch, quick to find that school started nearly ten minutes ago. Vaguely thoughts came flooding back to Giotto, his new guardian, and he wondered what Giotto would say about his apparent suspension.

Come to think of it, was Alaude even allowed to take him out of school? He blinked, snapping out of his thoughts long enough until collapsing to the bed. He…needed a cellphone to call Enma. He needed a job to pay Yamamoto back. God, he needed to be a legal adult just so he didn't have to worry about Giotto!

It took a total of thirty minutes before the doctor came through the door. He was giggling, confetti sliding down the tail of his coat and hand waving in the air like a woman's. Red streaked across his face, and he cooed acutely to whoever was on the other side. "I'll see you tonight!~"

Oh dear god. Tsuna swallowed harshly, uncertainly eying the old man who was currently swaying around like a drunkard. As soon as the door shut, the man turned around, nearly twice Alaude's build and a giddy smile spread across his lips. The name on his pin was somewhat scratched off, but Tsuna could make out the letters, "Shamal."

Dr. Shamal looked at him and instantly the glow of excitement on his face disappeared. "Are you a dike?"

"Wh…what—?"

"If you're not a dike and therefore a man, I'd rather not work with you. The policy on my door clearly states I only work with women." Shamal arched an eyebrow of disgust, but he simply sighed and rolled his eyes before making a long stride to Tsuna. "Fine. What's the damage?"

"M…My foo—_yow_!" Tsuna clutched his foot before Dr. Shamal could punch it a second time. He winced in pain, eyes squeezing shut before a dry hand yanked his foot away from him. The brunet peered through his bangs, cringing yet again as Dr. Shamal tossed it between his hands. "A-Are you even a real doctor?"

"I'm sorry. Normally when someone has the voice of a woman, they also have the body." Dr. Shamal eyed him grumpily before he stood up and yanked the clipboard sitting casually on the counter. "From what I've seen, I would say it's a Type II sprain. A severe case. Whoever did this binding had the right idea, but he didn't examine the wound further. And your medication is crap. What, ibuprofen?"

"U-Uh…Advil." The brunet looked to the wrap in confusion. In one graceful tug, the doctor undid the wrap and reached for a drawer. Tsuna winced as his foot was squeezed tightly under a large hand.

"Tch." The doctor rolled Tsuna's foot between his hands before rewrapping it securely in a different material. Tsuna fidgeted, kicking only when the doctor held his foot the wrong way, but it was quickly wrapped in an awkward position before the doctor left to a large closet. "Who brought you here?"

"U-Uh…A-Alaude-san…" Or was he supposed to call him Doctor Brouille the same way Yamamoto did? He scratched his head, frown written across his features before scooting closer to the bed.

"Ooh. Well, I suppose I'll make an exception. Did you know he has the best legs to fill a skirt~?"

"A-And you know this…," Tsuna turned pink in mortification, eyebrows reaching his forehead, "_why_?"

"I have the ability to guess any woman's three sizes. Now," the doctor reappeared from the closet, a pair of crutches in hand. He pulled Tsuna off the bed offhandedly, quickly taking measurements of his height before handing the support to the teenager.

Tsuna muttered a thank you under his breath, wobbling slightly before he picked up the bad foot. He looked at the old wrapping given to him by one of the boys last night, and grimaced as he realized he couldn't reach it.

"Do what you did last night. Ice it twenty minutes at a time, but not altogether. I don't want you to walk on that thing for two weeks, and be sure to make sure you don't twist it in any awkward position." Shamal tapped Tsuna's wrapped foot lightly and shoved both hands in his pockets. "Feel free to wrap and unwrap it as you please, but make sure to only walk on it _if necessary_. Understood?"

The brunet nodded hesitantly. Still…the doctor actually_ sounded_ like he knew what he was doing despite the fact there was still confetti on his shoulder. He looked up, caramel brown eyes gleaming with curiosity before he twitched and tried to move with the crutches. The day before drifted back slowly, and a shiver ran down his spine. There was…a punch.

Tsuna remembered it vaguely; how someone with a large hand punched him in the face. Before he had the chance to make impact with the ground, the back of his head made contact with someone else's chest and he was kicked in the spine until he reached the ground. They yanked at his backpack, causing some kind of strain on his shoulders, and a guy three times his size lifted him up by the ankle. He'd tried to keep quiet, knowing if he cringed even a little they would press at it until he was completely broken. After stealing both Rossella and his gloves, they were gone.

"—hear me? Pick up this medicine at the store."

"Wh-What? O-okay." Tsuna wobbled, quickly grabbing the prescription before shoving it into his pocket. He looked at the doctor peculiarly for any other instructions, but the man was busy mumbling something about adult magazines. With a soft sigh, he silently left the office and looked around the maze of cement halls. An hour had passed by since Alaude kidnapped him.

Shifting between crutches and wincing in discomfort, he finally found his way out the halls and back to the waiting room where Alaude casually sat with a clipboard at hand. Tsuna slowly made his way forward. He staggered toward the seat, stumbling as his good foot met the floor. Blue eyes peered up from the paper, and they focused solely on the kid before them.

"Your birthday is the fourteenth of October, correct?"

Wh-What…? "U-Uh, yeah." Tsuna directed his crutches behind the man and leaned over as evenly as possible. The entire sheet was filled out; from first name all the way to his medical allergies. The brunet blinked in confusion and confirmed every single little detail to be true. "Did you call my brother and ask for this info?"

"Your brother isn't the type of person who memorizes every single little detail. And he dislikes being woken up before 8:30." Amusement sprinkled the chairman's voice. He jotted down Tsuna's birthday quickly before standing on his feet and giving the information to the receptionist. "According to the attendance office, you're allowed to be excused if you have a doctor's note. They recommended I simply excuse you rather than suspend you."

So that meant his record would be untainted for the school year? "S-So…I-I'm not in trouble?"

"Just because I had second thoughts on your suspension doesn't mean you'll be let off easily for starting a fight on my school grounds." Alaude gave him a look of disapproval. Tsuna cringed and staggered toward the door out of Alaude's sight. He leaned into it, annoyed when it wouldn't open and stretched further until his fingers touched the glass. The crutch slipped under him, and the poor teenager landed face first into a dirty door.

All the while, Alaude stood there, amusement written across his face. A soft groan escaped the brunet's lips and he peered up, grimacing in pain as he pressed a hand to his bruising forehead. Alaude muttered something in French before pulling him to his feet.

The gaze of frigid blue orbs matched nervous brown, and Tsuna dusted off his sweater vest nervously. He shivered as a cockroach leg slid off his thigh, but froze as a hand met his forehead.

"I understand why now," mused the adult. Tsuna peered to him curiously, and flinched as the bangs were brushed away from his face. Alaude snorted softly, hand tucked in his pocket before opening the door and shoving the poor brunet outside. Tsuna yelped in surprise, quickly rebalancing himself before he collided with the nose of a different car.

By the time he was standing back on his own two feet plus two crutches, Alaude was making his way to the car. A sigh left Tsuna's throat and he struggled to follow after the adult. "Wh-What do you understand?"

Alaude opened the car door for him. "You, brat."

"U-Uh…?" He plopped into the car nervously and redid the seatbelts. Alaude yanked both crutches away from him and threw them in the back before slamming the door shut and getting into the driver's seat.

"You already know my hobby is interrogating and forensics." He started the engine and muttered something under his breath. "The only character I was able to build on when I found out who you were was the fact you were the boss's half-brother and that there was at least a nine year age gap between you two. You look like more than a girl than he does, and other than the fact you two must buy the same hair gel, the resemblance is only slightly there."

Tsuna scratched his thigh. He looked out the side-mirror, eyes scrutinizing his entire. Brown hair, brown eyes. Pale skin, short figure. He looked like the average Japanese person, while Giotto…well, Giotto looked Italian. Their personalities clashed, too. Where Tsuna was passive and shy, Giotto was gaudy and confrontational.

"Like I said, your annoying brother has a tendency to butt in when he's concerned." Tsuna gave him a disbelieving look. _Concerned_? Giotto had been the one who reached out to him, _yes_, but concerned was pushing it! Alaude simply grunted and made a sharp turn to the left. One, Tsuna noticed immediately, that was farther from the school than they already were. Before he had the chance to voice this, Alaude shoved his hand into the poor teenager's pocket.

Tsuna screeched, jumping from his seat before being forced down.

"You would think any spawn of Iemitsu's would be as much of a smartass as the boss is." Alaude examined the sheet before setting it behind the A/C. "Then again according to him, his father's a bum and his mother was pretty. Hmph. Oedipus complex."

D-Did he…know anything about personal space? Tsuna scooted closer to the door, suddenly self-conscious and feeling very much violated. He gripped the strap of his seat belt carefully and leaned into the window. "Where are we going now?"

"Medicine."

"Why…" Tsuna took a deep breath, head pounding as he realized he'd just spent the past two hours with not only the chairman of his school, but his brother's _boyfriend._ "Wh-Why is it that you're so….n-nice to me?"

"To piss him off for pounding my ass till dawn."

Tsuna's jaw went numb and dropped to the ground. His face reddened and he gripped the seat belt tightly in his hands. Alaude showed no shame in his words.

"Would you like a burger after this?"

Today Tsuna learned how the birds and the bees occurred between two men. Vulgarly.

OoOoO

Somehow there was something about Alaude that made it easy to relax around him. Tsuna had come up with the conclusion that the elder man was somewhat of a fairytale prince; something too good to be true and at any moment, they would slip up and turn out to be the villain. Earlier he thought of _Giotto_ as the one who was blatant and extreme, while Alaude had made it very clear he was high and mighty. He was too afraid to ask that if Giotto was a prestigious businessman, why Alaude kept calling him the "boss."

His intuition was telling him it had something to do with bed.

Something that also cleared up the debate Tsuna was _not_ having in his head that both sex partners in a gay relationship contributed in um, "giving some," rather than just one. Unfortunately, it wasn't as much to him asking Alaude about gay sex as much as it was the man mentioned it too casually in a conversation. He assumed it was because Giotto was his brother but it was still gross as hell.

A-And he really didn't need to know where Giotto gave Alaude-san a hickey.

Apparently their relationship was all but loving. He refused to ask in further detail of how much Giotto and Alaude loved each other, but from what he gathered, they didn't like each other much. Or they were one of those couples who simply loved each other for the seduction in their relationship. Either way, Tsuna thought dizzily after they finally got back in the car. It was 6:20, and his curfew was in ten minutes.

He wasn't going to make it. The longer he stayed in the car with Alaude, the farther the Frenchman decided to take him. The brunet gave up memorizing the route they took a long time ago, and was left stranded with the white-haired adult as his adult supervision. The only time they talked was when Tsuna asked a question and Alaude answered it. A little while later, the adult would offer a sharp comment of anything around him, which provoked another question and therefore continued the cycle.

They spent three hours at the zoo, hobbling at Tsuna's slow pace on his crutches. The adult told him simply that it would get training in for when Tsuna ever had to outrun a stampede of elephants while on crutches or something. The brunet's arms _hurt_ from dragging himself everywhere. But he had no choice; Tsuna was either to stagger at an awkward pace or risk having Alaude yanking him by the shirt and drag him across the large area of space.

He cocooned himself in the leather interior, head resting against the window as Alaude smoothly started the engine and ventured off to the next unknown.

"Is this really alright?" Tsuna croaked quietly.

"Mm?"

"Never mind." The brunet shut his eyes, shiver running through his spine before he looked behind him where both crutches lay. His third intake of heavy pills caused him to be very sleepy, and somewhat irrational. Head swaying slightly to the side, Tsuna decided best not to question the man and wait until they got home. Giotto would probably ground him or something, and…and he hadn't called Enma yet.

He quickly jolted up in realization before the seatbelt pressed up against him. Tsuna's sight blurred; caramel eyes exhausted from exertion of energy and pupils dilated.

Alaude chuckled in amusement and muttered something under his breath; something that sounded close to the word… "home."

Everything passed by in a flash. Tsuna assumed he drifted off to sleep for simply a minute, and by the time he opened his eyes again, the scenery outside vaguely reminded him of Namimori.

By the time they got back to the apartment buildings, the sky was dark. Tsuna peered through the window, lightheaded and dizzy, but the medicine apparently was working. They parked near the end, and he quickly checked his watch. 7:45PM. He…was past curfew, wasn't he?

Alaude opened up the car door for him, both crutches in hand. The brunet pulled out of the car, stumbling to reach one crutch before he was suddenly reminded of the stairs to hell. A soft groan escaped his lips—

"Tsuna."

Both teenager and adult turned their heads ever-so slowly. A mop of red hair caught brown eyes, followed by blond, and they quickly made their way toward them. A pair of car keys could be seen in…_G's_ hands before the redhead was clutching his shoulders.

"What happened to you?" He muttered in concern. His hand reached up, slender fingers pressing up against the black eye Tsuna forgot he had before looking over to Alaude.

Giotto stood next to him with a scowl. "Hayato-kun and Takeshi-kun came by after school in order to give him his schoolwork and Reborn personally called me in order to ask where his 'No-Good Student' was."

"Obviously, you can see that he's in no condition to go to school today. Which is why I was so bent on suspending him."

"Sus….? _Alaude._"

"Yes, boss?"

"Shut up," Tsuna grumbled. "I feel dizzy." Both other adults broke away from their conversation. The brunet looked up in mild amusement, confused as to why they did so, before G mumbled something under his breath and scooped him up like a small child.

"He's going to school tomorrow," Alaude said simply.

Giotto's eyes narrowed irritably. "What happened to him?"

G took him out of earshot before he had the chance to hear the rest of their conversation. Tsuna tucked his head into G's tie, comforted by _something_ for the first time all day. The redhead chuckled under his breath as they took each creeping step toward the apartment. "So where did he take you?"

"The doctor's…then the lake, and the zoo." He blinked sleepily, shivering even though there wasn't any wind, and clung onto G's arm. "I have to take my D.W. pills b-before I go to bed tonight."

"I'd say you're pretty drugged up as it is, kid." The door burst open, and G slowly guided him toward the couch.

"G...Giotto said that he works until nine. Why is he home right now?"

"Ah…That's…erm…" He could literally feel the adult blush from embarrassment. With a soft thud, Tsuna was settled on the couch and quickly tucked in. G smiled awkwardly and ran a hand through his hair. "I went by the school to come pick you up and Hayato said you weren't there. Since you didn't show up by the house at 6:30, I panicked and told your brother."

Tsuna eyed him. "You tattled on me."

"Of the sort, yes."

"So…are you like…m-my babysitter now?" So _that_ was how he was gonna get into the house by the time it was 6:30. G nodded in confirmation and walked toward the kitchen.

"You'll be with me until your brother gets home. He doesn't want you by yourself. Do you want anything to eat?"

"I…I already ate." Tsuna looked down to the ground, eyes steady, before the door crept open again. Giotto stood there, demeanor firm and irritated, before he shut the door behind him and rested the crutches near the couch. "Hi?"

"Hey." The blond stood in front of him. He plopped on the couch, eyes rising toward the kitchen where G was helping himself with some leftover food in the kitchen. Before the brunet had the chance to say anything, something was pushed into his lap.

Tsuna blinked blurrily, noting one of those 'things' was his medication while the other was… "Why are you giving me this?"

"So you don't get kidnapped by that smartass again." Giotto's eyes steadily followed G's form. His best friend simply stood there, entertained by the situation as he sunk his teeth into a chicken leg. Slowly his gaze tore away, matching the unwavering eyes of his brother. "Do you want anything to eat?"

"Nah." The teenager shook his head and fiddled with the cellphone given to him. "Did you just…buy this?"

"Something like that. He and I have to get back to work; feel free to raid the fridge if you're hungry. And I really mean it." Giotto arched an eyebrow to Tsuna's placidness before he stood up, directly parallel to his little brother. "Feel _free._"

If he could do more than hobble, that is. Tsuna nodded casually, and they were locked into a staring contest. After a minute of silence, Tsuna blinked, and a pink Giotto was making his way to chortling G before they went to the door.

"Bye, kid." G looked over his shoulder, grin wider than a coyote spread across his lips.

"Um, bye." The door finally shut and all that filled the room was silence. Tsuna looked down to the phone, quickly dialing the one number he knew by heart and waited.

"_Hello?_"

"Enma?"

"_Tsuna. What's up_?"

"I'm uh. I…Is it considered brotherly affection when your brother kisses you on the forehead?"

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

Giotto kissed him on the forehead! Hooray, hooray! Basically this chapter shows a little G27 and explains a bit of Alaude's personality. Which…I can't decide if it's IC or not. I kinda based it off of G's personality, only a bit…harsher. And D.W. pills. What on _earth_ does that stand for? Hehe. Tsuna finally has a cellphone! Cool! Um. Happy Independence Day?

MY NEW CHALLENGE. Lenah-1827, 201 reviews. You get me that and I shall write a oneshot. Hehehe. Reviews would be nice!


	8. drugs and tutors

**Tharrow** Yuppers. I'm not sure if I'll give him an icier attitude as much as making him blunt and harsh, but with hidden good attentions. C: **whatshallIbe **Go ahead and have that coffee table. Surprisingly, Giotto hasn't bothered to throw it out yet. Hehehe. Yamamoto…probably walks in on them accidentally as much as G does, considering he delivers sushi. Lmao. **kikyokyoyahibari **It's mostly implied. I didn't really wanna put it outright that Giotto kissed him on the forehead. C': Alaude would definitely take Tsuna to the lake to piss Giotto off. Explaining their relationship is gonna be _fun._ Hehehe. **FaerieDemon** Giotto and Alaude's relationship…is a lot more serious than the two make it out to be. Two moronic adults who don't know they're idiots. Harhar. Tsuna and Giotto have a lot of talking to do, eh? **copycat-capycot** G and Giotto's relationship is just downright hilarious. I found this one comic that was so adorable of them. It's weird, because I like G x Giotto, but I don't like 5927. Lmao. Weiiird. Hmm, putting Alaude and _Enma_ in the same room with each other. I wonder… And G really is more like a brother to Tsuna. Probably because Giotto really isn't. I wonder _why_, sarcasm. **qqsha** Alaude is just like his nephew. Blunt and jumps to assumptions, I'm still debating whether or not he's gonna "bite Tsuna to death," but I might make a joke of it when Giotto and he do it next time. xD G can be my babysitter. Heck yeah. Tsuna may do some knitting, I actually forgot about that. Not a scarf though. Maybe a potholder. Hehe. **C h r o m a TIXX **Just you wait. I'mma challenge you again since you were able to do it the first time. Hehe. Poor Tsuna. Alaude just…likes him too much? Lmao. **thepieh0le **I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next chapter! **HetChrome **Why hello thar. I have a song called Adored. Lmao. Alaude27 is cute, but not in the way you'd expect, eh? Giotto and Alaude should put Hibari and Tsuna on a playdate. xD **RoxasIsReal13 **Thanks for the compliment! Enjoy the next chapter! **Zarokin** YES IT IS DANCE WHACKY. GOOD 4 U. I kiss my friends on their noses, lmao. They think it's weird, but I find it entertaining. I KEPT GOING. SHALL I TAKE A BREAK NOW? D: **TL's **Why yes, he is. That's a very good point, he and Yamamoto should get into a conversation and Gokudera mistake it for phone sex. That would be epic. I like it when a guy kisses you on the nose. I think that's just adorable. xD 8027…maybe. I'll think of _what _to do. Writing AU can get tiring after a while, I need me some combat action. Hehe. **Desperatembrace **haha, if you call it a relationship. They've yet to call each other by the first name. hehe. **sender unknown **S'not like I do it on purpose, I just tend to babble, lmao. Alaude is…well, people seem to like him, so I'll keep him for the time being. AND LMAO YEAH THOSE FIREWORKS GOT ON MY NERVES D: And this is why Shamal isn't allowed to have kids. Because there's a fifty-percent chance that he'd get a daughter and become a pedo. xD I like Advil over Tyleno, actually. ASARI COMES LATER. D: And Knuckle…god, I love his role in the story. xD **lemonlimediddies **yay! **Seriyuu **Poor Tsuna. Can't he understand that being kidnapped by a hot snowy white-haired school chairman with a French accent is quite possibly the hottest thing out there? G27 will start…eventually. They've got nine months. ;D **TsunaxGiotto4ever **Updated! Enjoy the next chapter! C: **y0u **Aww, that's not fair. D: That's okay, we can say that my other stuff is crap compared to this and you don' tneed to waste your time. :D And mothers know best! …sometimes. Hurrhurr. I hope to read something from you soon! C: **auleutta **Alaude liking animals? Looks like Tsuna has to tell what happened while they were at the zoo. xD Giotto is…so cute when he blushes. **01JJL **I'm glad you like it so far then. C: Tsuna in HDW mode… you know no one wants to mess with him. Hehe. No pressure indeed. Har. **xXxPyroxXx** Giotto is just very irritated of Allaude. And thanks for the compliment, I don't really like a story if the characters aren't right in the head. C'; In one way or another, that is. **ayumistar00** thanks for the review! enjoy the next chapter! **Kanberry **Don't end up killing yourself while twirling! Alaude is…was a difficult character to portray. The only reason he was so aloof after all was because he was a cop for a secret intelligence corporation, y'know? **Nimrodo** You offended me? No big deal. xD My only thing is, despite how much I dislike a couple or don't prefer it, I don't really complain it as much as I move on. That's my personal preference, though, so don't worry too much, you didn't offend me. C: **373** Alaude makes me lol. End of story. And yeah, I really didn't want to make him identical to Hibari in every way, just in small doses. JOB IS GOOD. 8D **SoulReaper Rukia **Oh trust me, Alaude's just really twisted. If he wants to be nice, then he'll do it in his own way. Lmao. G makes me so happy like burning xD Giotto tolerates a lot in his sex live. Poor Tsuna. xD **free** You're gonna have to wait for it, hon. I'm going at a gradual pace. C': **raisuke143 **You'll have to wait and see! Enjoy the next chapter! **–Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **You wanna be challenged?~ …maybe next time. Right now I'm gonna try and fill out all the 2700 requests in the kink meme. Hehe. we'll have to see what happens with the bear and gloves. C: **Ophianara Blade **And your exams are when…? xD Well, good luck in them. **Mirriox** Ouch, that sounds painful, haha. Enma will actually be coming in a chapter or two; I can't wait for his appearance. C: **CH0C0CANDYZ **Good move indeed! **yukishira **You'll have to wait and find out; we gotta sort those two out before Tsuna and Giotto get together. Hehe. **milostuido **Alaude has good intentions…in twisted lights. Scarily enough, lmao. Hibari…god, I gotta find a way to introduce him in this story. xD **Fire Princess21** I'm glad you liked it! Enjoy the next chapter! **ToniChanLovesCookies** I'm glad you love me, aw, but I'm committed to this story and can't cheat on it with you. D: Tsuna probably _is_ the only one since normally this man is really composed. Haha. **Breathless02 **Aw, thanks for the compliment. Ryohei…he's actually one of my favorite characters, and I have no clue why. I just like him a lot, lmao. **Like the Colors **Yamamoto and Gokudera are in this chapter, hehe. Alaude's just so badass, I love his personality. And Giotto really is shy. xD He just kinda sorta hides it awkwardly the same way Gokudera does. Happy ninth of July! :D **Kichou** updated! Thanks for the review! **phil **Thanks for the review! **meerla11** Alaude…makes me laugh so hard. Hehehe. **Cattwo28** Dear god, woman. Your review is longer than copycat-capycot's. xD Does Pennies reflect World? Maybe. But I can guarantee you that Tsuna isn't someone from the future stuck in the past. He will be , soon enough. Hehe. That plotbunny took me a week to think of, and kinda went on a whim of its own, hehe. Tsuna is the Yugi of KHR. With more HIIIIEEE? Added in. Good point. When Tsuna and Giotto have their first time…god, you have no idea how much I'm laughing my butt off about it. xD Five times isn't bad. Normally I just skim and don't even realize some big major thing's happened. Like if Yamamoto got killed, I wouldn't have realized it until about five chapters later. Lmao. Tsuna Yugi crossover? Probably not, but I commend you for trying. xD Goodbye~ **hibaXtsu **You'll just have to wait and find out! **Azalie-Kauriu **Aw, thanks for the compliment. C: Tsuna had better get his bear and mittens back…that scene will be fun to write, too. Hehe. **Chiri-tan **Would you like a kissu? And I'm glad I make yoru days sunnier. Co it's been raining all week over here. Lmao. **Masked Hatter **Updated! Enjoy the next chapter! **want your rad bromance **Yup, the way they're written in here makes me happy. Only person that I'm having trouble figuring out is Lampo, and I think I just got an idea while writing out your reply. Yay for me!

**chapter eight has **drugs and tutors.

"I…I really don't think this is necessary…"

"Nonsense! Don't you want to at least soak your feet—erm, foot—in the water?"

"W-Well…"

"Bah, Yamamoto. If he doesn't want to put his fucking foot in the pool, then he shouldn't have to. Besides, I doubt he can even swim." Glimmering green eyes literally _smirked_ at the poor brunet as the rest of him crossed his arms, tied silvery hair swaying softly in the wind. "Right, _Tenth_?"

Tsuna kept himself from rolling his eyes, sigh escaping his lips. Yamamoto, fortunately, distracted the hotheaded teenager with some crazy joke, and he was able to relax under the shade of the autumn tree. His bad foot was cleverly sitting on a pile of crunchy leaves, and Fon-sensei was somewhere off teaching kids how to do the butterfly stroke.

A week and a half had passed by. To say that he wasn't miserable would have been an understatement, but it wasn't because he couldn't swim. No, he wouldn't have _wanted_ to go swimming, anyway. Calling Enma simply became instinct, and it was more embarrassing with Giotto's eyes on him peculiarly once the stressed adult got home. They locked gazes, each mumbling something different, but Tsuna was too drugged up to remember half their conversations.

Actually, he couldn't even remember half his conversations with Enma. If it weren't for the fact they also texted nonstop when the opportunity arose, he would have never figured out that they were in contact with each other.

Fortunately, his system was getting used to the D.W. Pills. His hand ran over the screen of the decent iPhone Giotto had given him. It took him a while to adjust to it; never having a cellphone before. For the longest time, the brunet assumed Giotto had picked it up somewhere before he searched the contacts list and realized this was his brother's business phone. One of them, anyway. In total, there were less than twenty contacts already listed on the phone; those included being Alaude, G, the Asari guy Alaude-san had mentioned and…his teachers.

For some strange reason, Giotto was in contact with his teachers. He was careful not to delete them in event the blond really needed the phone, and only called Enma. They texted when given the chance, and Tsuna somehow felt calmer knowing his best friend wasn't suffering.

Now…well, he wasn't sure what to say. The week and a half had gone by fast, and in nearly a month, Enma would be coming for his birthday. Yamamoto…Tsuna looked up through his daze, smile spreading across his face as the uncertain demeanor across his friend's turned into a short laugh. Yamamoto was still hesitant as ever. They talked about a lot of things, and it seemed to make the baseball player like him more.

Gokudera-kun developed a strange habit of calling him 'Tenth.' It was more mocking than friendly, some kind of label that would always flash a glimmer of discomfort in Yamamoto's eyes before the taller feigned a smile and patted the brunet on the back. He didn't bother to ask what was so important about it. Half of their conversations made it to Tsuna's memory, and he deduced one of his strange abilities was to one-up the other teenager when on his medication.

And of course, the small, seemingly-adorable pout across Gokudera's lips and high chuckle from Yamamoto implied he probably just said something he didn't remember. Tsuna looked up, hands coiled around his cellphone as Yamamoto insisted yet again that he got into the pool.

"How long do you have to keep walking on your crutches?" the baseball player smiled keenly and plopped next to the shorter teenager. Gokudera did the same on the other side, eyes closed and scowl forming across his lips. Neither questioned why he was being cooperative. By now the medication had ways of numbing Tsuna's ridiculous paranoia and Yamamoto seemed simply relieved that his two friends were getting along.

"Two more days." The brunet checked his phone casually, noting that Enma would be on lunch break the same time as them before a wet sponge ball hit him in the head. Water splashed against his face and he squeezed his eyes shut, taken off guard before falling backward.

"Ah! Tsuna!" Yamamoto propped himself up and picked the ball from the poor teenager's face.

"I'm fine," he quickly mumbled. Tsuna rubbed the water out of his eyes and shook his head. Drops of pool-water fell in his lap and he groaned softly.

"Sorry, Yamamoto!" called one of the students. "Hey, wanna play water baseball? We're short a player!"

"Ooh, can I?" Large brown eyes glittered with the excitement of a small child. Yamamoto stood up, nearly six feet tall with his hands clasped together and a hopeful expression across his face.

Tsuna shared a quick glance to an ignorant Gokudera, who was playing with a flower, before nodding him off. For a second, the baseball player exchanged looks between both friends, hesitation running across his demeanor, before he ran off and splashed into the pool. He couldn't blame him; leaving Gokudera within a five-foot radius of Tsuna was never a good idea.

However, this was the first time they were left together by themselves since the first night the hothead bandaged his foot. "You're only being tolerant of me now that you know all I do is talk to my best friend."

"Don't get so fucking self-centered, narcissist." Gokudera-kun snorted loudly and propped onto his elbows, eyes looking elsewhere. "You and I only get along so that way he doesn't get so fucking worried and throw his damn hand out before baseball season again."

"So you admit it," pressed Tsuna dully. He fiddled with one of his crutches and leaned into the tree behind him. "You're concerned for him."

Red scattered the other teenager's face, and the silver-haired teenager quieted. A soft sigh left his throat, expression softening begrudgingly as he rubbed his temples. "What do you want from me, Sawada?"

Health insurance. So when Gokudera-kun decided to punch out a tooth or two, Tsuna didn't have to panic about paying hospital bills. "Your friendship."

"Ship's sailed." The other teenager smiled grimly. "Next?"

"You've been dating your girlfriend for at least five months. That's how long since he's confessed to you, right?" Tsuna mumbled something else under his breath, wondering what the hell he'd been saying for the past ten minutes and who he was saying it with. Luckily, he thought as he looked at his watch, the medicine would be fading in a little while. "Is it because you're jealous that he may switch his interests to me, or are you afraid of losing your best friend?"

"Tch. Shut the fuck up. You have no idea what you're saying."

"Then tell me." Tsuna eyed him warily, softly glaring before his sights set on Yamamoto, who eagerly played water Frisbee with other students in the pool. "You and me. We're awkward with each other, and I want to know exactly _why_ this can't just be avoided if you're jealous to the point you can't stand to see anyone but yourself near him."

"Che."

There was a silence between them. Tsuna scratched his head, confused as to where Yamamoto had gone when he promised to stay and converse with him. He looked around slowly before realizing they were in gym and Fon-sensei was monitoring the other kids.

"…it's no big deal." Gokudera plopped onto his stomach, arms under his chin as his eyes wandered elsewhere. "He's just a fucking idiot who grew too close. And I don't swing that way. He came out of the closet the day before the big game, wanted to kiss me for good luck, and I made it clear I wasn't gay. I'm not."

"Obviously." If the definition _he_ was using for gay was 'happy.'

"He was a fucking idiot, laughed it off, and to make it damn clear I wanted nothing to do with him and his faggotry, I asked this chick out. It's not a big deal." Gokudera's eyes narrowed and he buried his nose into his wrist. "Tch. He shouldn't make a fucking big deal about it."

"So you're dating someone else," the brunet murmured steadily, "and that's okay. But you expect Yamamoto to sit around all day and pine for love you won't give him?"

"Hey. Watch it." Gokudera tossed a glare his way and scowled. "_Sawada…_"

"Yes?" Tsuna picked up a blade of grass and threw it in the air.

"You have one fucked up mind when you're all drugged up."

Were they just talking about something? Tsuna scratched his head, one hand running through his hair as his mind was dizzily spinning again. He propped himself up on the crutch, wondering what he'd done to provoke Gokudera-kun _this time_ and looked down to the other teenager carefully.

"Yeah," he decided finally. "I'll agree with you there."

OoOoO

"I really don't get why you don't like him."

"Yes you fucking do. And I wish that you would just stop fucking rubbing it in my face." Hayato sat by the poolside, anger twisting his features and scowl contorting his lips. Instinct first told him to dig through his pocket and light a cigarette, but unfortunately they would be swimming for another thirty minutes. The stupid teacher, all smiles and deep breaths, kindly told him to go back to the pool.

After a humiliating one-sided argument, Hayato stormed off (he swore it was because _he_ wanted to), using his temporary irritation as an excuse to get away from the creepily smartass midget who had the ability to render him speechless in less than thirty seconds. Red flushed his face, and he found himself near the shallow end with his feet touching a puddle of pool-water contemplating what Sawada had told him.

He…wasn't considered top of their class for nothing.

Hayato had never been stupid enough that he'd let his emotions control him to the point he could probably get arrested—without analyzing said emotions, that was. Anyone who knew him personally knew the green-eyed teenager had a very short temper. Oh fuck no, he wasn't some queer who cried if he broke a bloody nail, and you would be shitting him if you assumed he smiled a lot.

Smiling…made him vulnerable.

The silver-haired teenager stopped smiling a long while ago, when his instincts were hinting at something bigger, something that was inevitable, and…well, quite frankly something that he was too afraid to tell that Sawada kid.

Fuck, why was he even mentioning this?

Ah, because said Sawada shithead hit a nerve, and it was an especially sensitive subject that Hayato disliked getting into because it involved too much estrogen and giggling. The kid never ceased to amaze him, as odd as he came to be.

Which had been why he analyzed Tsunayoshi Sawada's personality as if his life depended on it.

For the longest time, the biggest 'man-crush' Hayato had had was on the elder brother; Giotto Vongola. He shit-fucking worshipped the ground that man walked on. Giotto Vongola was suave, smooth, regal, _beautiful_, and devastatingly gorgeous. Giotto Vongola (gosh, he couldn't even _say_ that beautiful godlike creature's first name without the last), who graduated college a year earlier than planned, who made deals and was a successful entrepreneur while attending business school. He was a protégé, expertly learning the stock market with a trained poker face, and had the man not smiled once in a while (like at Bianchi and G's wedding), Hayato would have loved him more.

Because that would have meant that Giotto Vongola was an UMA.

A very successful one, at that.

B-But of _course_, that was nothing but pure attraction. He told Sawada, after all, that he wasn't gay. If Hayato Gokudera was 100% sure of anything, it was his sexuality. It was no big deal, really. If a man could find another man attractive and still go home and screw his wife into the bed, that simply meant he was secure with who he was.

And really, Hayato was absolutely secure with who he was.

Giotto Vongola was someone that he knew simply through G, and Hayato knew G through his sister. Yamamoto, that idiot, knew both men from delivering sushi, and he could faintly remember an immature day when they were thirteen, and he kicked the baseball idiot in the face. After all, where had these two men _been_ all his life?

Quite frankly, despite the fact both adults had only been married for nine months, he got a lot closer to his ex-brother-in-law than intended. They had their arguments, smartass fights, and according to Bianchi, G was just as rambunctious (pfft, _him_? Furthest thing from Hayato's personality!) as he was at his age. G checked up on him constantly, and was such a fucking pussy about making sure he was safe.

They shared things, but it was only because at the time of the marriage Hayato was roughly twelve, and G wasn't ashamed of bribery.

The last thing he had in mind was Giotto-san having a brother. It had been a week or so prior to Sawada coming to Namimori, and G and he shared a few beers over at Hayato's apartment. The news had slipped, and that was probably the only instant where Hayato actually looked _forward_ to seeing who this Tsunayoshi was. Tsunayoshi Vongola! At least, that's what he assumed the name would be. Anyone who was related to Giotto-san was obviously really cool!

He expected someone tall, gorgeous, and very smart. That being said, Hayato immediately made plans to make Tsunayoshi feel comfortable in Namimori, despite the grimace G had spread across his face when telling him the news. Tsunayoshi and he were the same age, apparently, and he made it his duty to protect Giotto-san's little brother at all cost.

Maybe even have a friendship as strong as G and Giotto's.

Well, you know, if it didn't turn out that Tsunayoshi wasn't anything _like_ Giotto-san.

He remembered the day clearly, of when _Tsuna_ and he first met. _Tsuna_ was (and is) timid, shy, hesitant, and had some fucking aura that drew people into him. He'd yet to see the bastard smile, but it was enough to bug him that he could be fucking losing his best friend to that little shrimp.

_Tsuna _was nothing like Giotto-san. Tsunayoshi, the boy Hayato was practically infatuated with, was. Tsunayoshi was suave, smooth, regal, and all of that other good stuff that came with his brother. When first laying eyes on the midget, he could see the resemblance. Very slightly, but it was there. And as they approached Namimori Apartment Complex, he had gotten that sinking feeling as his mind betrayed him with its natural genius and calculated all the facts given to him.

To put it simply (though begrudgingly), he hated Sawada because he was insanely possessive of his best friend. It seemed to be a natural whim, and through his own psychological analysis, he confirmed this possessiveness he never showed blatantly (at least, in his opinion).

Everything Sawada had told him simply struck a numb nerve. Each fact was something Hayato himself was very aware of, and tiresomely acknowledged. He had the flawless power of analysis, starting from pencil and paper before evolving into something bigger. Research proved to get him very far, and up until this point he was very certain about the facts of life.

Haru was his woman and Takeshi Yamamoto was his bitch.

Err, best friend. Yamamoto had crossed the one line in their friendship that caused all boundaries to increase, and it was something Hayato researched very stiffly before reaching the universal conclusion that one could not simply just "research" love.

Love was something that just happened. So how the fuck did that baseball idiot fall in love with _him_? Hypothetically speaking, anyway, since they were only high school students.

At the time, Hayato was straight. Scratch that. Hayato Gokudera _is_ straight. He was still contemplating these apparent feelings that Yamamoto claimed to have, like allowing a bite of food to swish around in a person's mouth as a taste tester before deciding to swallow and decide if it was delicious or not. Hayato had yet to swallow. He yet to know if Yamamoto was erm, delicious, and was afraid of finding out.

During those five months of peace, he didn't have to wonder whether or not he should recuperate (not that he was _thinking _about it…) Yamamoto's feelings. Then about half a month ago, this brat shows up and Yamamoto immediately took him under his wing.

Hayato didn't care. He fucking wanted Sawada to go die in a hole. Well…_wanted._ He wasn't sure anymore.

Which was why he was sitting at the shallow end of the school pool, Yamamoto wading toward him with chlorine-contaminated water glistening against his perfectly tan chest. Not that he noticed, anyway.

That one instance was the only time G had spoken of Tsunayoshi, and it had gone on casually. G normally got him drunk in order to break news. Apparently despite his vast change in attitude and the inability to hold liquor, his other talent was a vivid memory. Giving him news when he was drunk generally meant that it was bad news. He still didn't know the story behind Tsuna's relationship with Giotto-san, nor why they went on with different last names.

At first he assumed it should have just been his duty to devote his life to the kid. Then he wanted nothing to do with him because Sawada got on his nerves. The rather annoying problem with Sawada, however, was the fact he was too nice.

Normally with nice people, you were nice back and never saw them again. Sawada, however, had the ability to make an impression whether he was drugged up and telling him to be quiet, or stammering a hello. He saw the truth in Sawada's words, and he was _slightly_ more reassured by the fact Sawada had no intention of stealing Yamamoto away from him from those constant phone calls. The brunet's faced lit up instantly, and he ended up being on the phone for more than an hour at a time before panicking and remembering what the phone bills could be.

Sawada was nice. And Hayato was too proud to admit that he didn't hate Sawada as much as he originally thought. But you know, if that brat ended up one-upping him _again…_

His mind was brought back to reality as Yamamoto sat next to him, wet thigh pressed against his own as a frown spread across his face. "Can't you just _try_ to be nice to Tsuna? I really like him – as a friend."

Hayato's brow twitched. He looked away, frown spread across his lips, and refused to give Yamamoto the satisfaction of winning. "Fuck. Let me do whatever the hell I want with my life, got it?"

"If I recall, I _am_ letting you do what you want in life. Actually…" Yamamoto was smiling. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it. A soft, empty chuckle left the other teenager's throat and his hair was splashing as he ran a hand through it. "I don't own you. You can do whatever you want, haha."

"Tch. Why do you have to be so fucking nice to him?" God dammit, he needed a fucking smoke like, now. A scowl spread across his lips, glare full on his demeanor as he searched around aimlessly for something to substitute the deathly habit.

"Tsuna just looks like the type of person who needs a friend, haha. And…" Yamamoto's voice had dropped in pitch. Hayato looked from the corner of his eye, an uncomfortable feeling bubbling in his stomach as Yamamoto smiled genuinely. "He's warmhearted. I feel like I've known him all my life."

There was a pang of worry…or regret…or _something_ that bubbled inside the silver-haired teenager as he heard those words. Looking from the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of that wistful expression across his best friend's face, and immediately felt…_incredibly pissed off._ It was one of those blatant feelings that unlike the rest, he felt no need to analyze. He just had a hunch—and went with his gut, just like G did. "Is there something you told him that you didn't tell me?"

The baseball player looked at him, confused, before skeptically turning away, goofy smile across his face.

Eight years of friendship came down to knowing what that idiot was thinking most of the time. Well, not really. Eight years of friendship, Hayato thought with an eyebrow arched, simply meant he knew Yamamoto hid his feelings behind a few laughs. He found it sweetly irritating, but it was also something that scared him. Analyzing Yamamoto proved to be a challenge.

"Fine. Don't fucking tell me your feelings. Either grow a pair or boobs or some balls, because the more passive you get, the more…the more…" Flustered, Hayato simply crossed his arms, scowl increasing on his face as his cheeks reddened. "The more it fucking annoys me."

"A-Ah? Gokudera, are you telling me that you're worried for my sake?"

"Hell no! Fuck off!" Automatically, he jerked his arm in order to shove Yamamoto into the deep end, but it had become a predictable move. His best friend simply caught his arm, all smiles and laughs that made his legs turn to jelly, and held it securely.

"Thanks, Hayato." A soft chuckle left Yamamoto's throat before he stood up and ran back to the water without another word.

Hayato simply sat there, mouth parted in surprise before tearing away, red scattering across his face. "Whatever. And don't fucking call me by my first name!"

OoOoO

"Would you like to eat lunch with us?"

It was probably the _only_ thing that he remembered to do every day, even when on his medication. Tsuna smiled nervously, silently testing out his bad foot against the ground as he stood up, crutches bent under him and sweat matting his face. Gokudera-kun sat behind him, busy with some other kind of work, but nonetheless listening.

He made it a ritual since the third day of school to ask Gokudera to join them for lunch. Yamamoto automatically followed him like a lost puppy, sinking into some cycle as if Tsuna and he were simply two friends enjoying one another's company. Wh-which of course, they _were_, but they'd become so close in a short amount of time.

With his cellphone in hand along with the bento Yamamoto insisted on making him, he struggled to hold onto his crutches, and stared expectantly at the pink teenager. He already knew that Gokudera would follow, even if he looked grouchy about it and called him many names (all along the lines of how short he was). Yamamoto pulled the bento away from his grasp, and the only reason he didn't ask for them back was because he finally balanced himself out.

Yamamoto looked cheerier, though also more cautious whenever Tsuna and Gokudera got into a conversation.

Finally, through a silence that lasted less than a minute, Gokudera unceremoniously stood up from his seat, frown written across his lips and fingers flat on his desk. "Fuck, you're seriously getting on my nerves with your nice attitude."

Unfortunately, that was also code for 'yes.' Tsuna reddened, eyes rolling as Gokudera yanked a bento from under his desk and "begrudgingly" helped him prop himself on the crutches. Being the height he was, said crutches wouldn't adjust for him. He settled for them being slightly too tall, but that also meant he had a hard time standing on his feet.

"Don't forget your medication," Yamamoto chimed cheerfully.

"Y…yeah." The medicine had worn off about an hour ago after gym class. Tsuna smiled again, awkwardly, and hobbled toward the door. There was only a slight gnawing pain in his foot, but not enough to be more than an irritation. As Yamamoto helped him out, he looked toward both friends. Gokudera, again, was a lot nicer than he normally was, and Yamamoto was…being Yamamoto.

The more he got to know about them, the more comfortable he'd been during the past few weeks. G picked him up every day after school, and he would stay with the man at Giotto's apartment or occasionally go and bug Gokudera down in his. Which surprisingly, was very clean. G and he talked about a lot of things – sports, politics, beer, and sometimes even himself – but he was always too afraid to ask about his brother. Giotto would come by a few hours later, the redhead would converse with his best friend and then leave.

It was kinda, sorta weird. Tsuna smiled delicately as they eventually made their way toward a bench in the front of the school. Yamamoto would sit next to them and cautious, Gokudera would sit parallel on a tree with a sandwich in hand.

"I-I can feed myself, Yamamoto." He blushed as the chopsticks made it to his face, the fear of the silver-haired teenager shoving something _you-know-where_ bubbling in his stomach.

Yamamoto laughed and shoved the piece of sushi in his mouth anyway. "But you're so cute, Tsuna! Like a little baby!"

But he don't want to be _cute_! Caramel eyes rolled and Tsuna relinquished. This was the attitude his best friend approached him with every single day. Suddenly he froze, blinking at his own logic as he slowly swallowed and…and contemplated. Best friend.

They'd known each other almost a month now, and shared a lot of secrets. It was too early to call them best friends.

Uh, right?

His own chopsticks lingered at his mouth, crab sushi half a centimeter away from parted lips when red exploded across his faced like no tomorrow. Blood rushed to his cheeks, and he looked to the corner of his eye where Gokudera was offhandedly ranting about American politics and Yamamoto wholeheartedly (though with much confusion) listened.

"Yo, _Tenth_," Gokudera's attention immediately whirled his way with an eyebrow arched and frown across his face. "What the hell are you staring at?"

"Ah…um…" Tsuna blushed, accidentally allowing his sushi to drop and crumble in his lap. Yamamoto immediately took a napkin and scooped what he could of the sushi.

"Ooh, that's not good, haha."

"A-Ah, I'm fine!" And he didn't like that vicious glare that the silver-haired teenager was giving him. He grabbed Yamamoto's hand, careful to push it away from him before smiling awkwardly. "U-Um, are we friends?"

They were both silent. Yamamoto wasn't laughing and Gokudera-kun was simply staring at him as if he'd grown two heads. He wasn't shy of a split personality, if that counted for anything. So he had assumed, considering the many glances and scowls he got from one teenager along with the odd-then-goofy demeanor from the other.

"_Duh_." Gokudera broke their silence before cramming the rest of his bread in his mouth.

The hinges to the brunet's jaw loosened, almost dropping to the ground before he wrapped a hand securely to his pants. Yamamoto chuckled before patting him carelessly on the back. "You didn't think we were, Tsuna?"

"W-Well…I-I…" Tsuna stammered, heat rushing to his face yet again before he looked down and mumbled something embarrassing under his breath along the lines of, "I just had to make sure."

Yamamoto scooted closer to him only by a few inches, and the brunet shivered as lips were only centimeters away from his ear. The only one to have ever been this close to him was Enma. In a quiet tone, one that Gokudera was sure not to hear, the black-haired teenager stated simply, "We're not gonna leave you, so don't worry too much, okay? We're friends, haha."

He said nothing to that. But he smiled. Tsuna beamed softly, comfortably leaning into Yamamoto's heat if only for a little bit before another thought passed through his mind. But…he didn't have to…_right now_, did he?

"Something the matter?" Yamamoto placed a hand tenderly on his knee. Before he knew it, the brunet was back to being fed by chopsticks.

Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts, pushing the matter aside and took the slice of sushi carefully between his fingers. He shoved it down his throat and smiled fully. "Nah."

They ate in another, more comfortable silence. He finally got Yamamoto to stop feeding him like a baby, and ate the rest of his platter without a care. Yamamoto left them yet again, when a girl called him over for what Tsuna and Gokudera both figured was a love confession. That was when the silver-haired hothead decided to attack.

"You're really full of it, y'know?" called Gokudera.

Tsuna flinched at his tone and looked back down to his food, ashamed of something, but not sure of what. Instead the other teenager snorted yet again, slowly trekking to the meeker until they were face-to-face.

"A…Are _you_ and I friends, Gokudera-kun?" His voice was no more audible than a whisper, fingers curling delicately in the bench under him.

Green eyes stared at him carefully before they closed and looked away. The irate teenager gently slapped his ankle and shrugged. "Fine. You're fucking growing on me. But I swear, if you let that baseball idiot know about this…"

"Y…Yeah." The last thing he would do was ignore one of Gokudera's threats. The brunet blushed softly, leaning over toward Gokudera as he did with Yamamoto as something came to mind. "Um, do you want to hang out on Saturday?"

That certainly caught the silver-haired teenager off guard. "What, like catch a movie or something?"

Erm, he didn't actually have any money since he didn't have time to get a job. Tsuna carefully shook his head and blushed. "Maybe at your apartment or something? Something with uh, no money or something?"

There was a twitch in the silver-haired teenager's features. He turned around, hand running through his hair. Tsuna recognized this as a sign of the other's embarrassment and fluster, but it also meant he wasn't getting shunned like normal. "…I'll take you to meet my girlfriend."

Tsuna perked at this. "Really?" He would finally meet the only other person in Japan that could tolerate Gokudera's stormy temper?

"Yeah. Don't tell him, though." Gokudera's pale face hinted a blush of pink, and he refused to look the shorter teenager in the eye. Instead, he walked back to his tree, gap remaining between them.

They were quiet, neither looking at each other until Yamamoto came back, face red with embarrassment before informing them of the polite rejection. Tsuna thought back to his little "date" with Gokudera on the upcoming Saturday. G was allowing him to go out with his friends, but only if Gokudera would be there. Even though they didn't get along and Yamamoto had baseball practice during the weekend, he was desperate to leave the house.

After lunch, they went back to class, Yamamoto and Gokudera debating something about pool sharks, and class resumed as normal.

"Your math grades are shit."

U-Unfortunately, getting back to class and having the day resume as normal didn't mean that the Spartan homicidal hitman of a teacher he had would be any easier than he had been since their first day of school. The wall in the back casually spelled out in English an "R," "E," and a "B." Tsuna suspected by the end of the year (or the semester, really) that his teacher's entire name would be spelled out.

"U-Uh…ah…" Tsuna felt his face turn red as he looked down to the "F" he had on FOIL. Algebra wasn't one of his favorite subjects.

"That's pretty surprising," murmured the elder man. Reborn-sensei petted the chameleon sitting casually on his desk before swinging his legs over and crossing his legs idly. A smirk spread across his lips. "After all, Ieyatsu runs a firm business. His math grades had to be fantastic to be the proper businessman he is now."

"I don't…really…" The brunet searched his words, eyebrow arched, but was unable to come up with anything else. "…really _talk_ to my father." It was the one mistake that Reborn kept making, even after correcting his teacher. He eyed Gokudera and Yamamoto, who were waiting outside the door, and wished he wasn't being interrogated so harshly.

Since he hadn't seen Iemitsu since he was a small child, maybe he had gotten the name wrong. Generally he blocked the man whenever he came to visit, nervously putting a fake smile on his face before his father left again for a long amount of time. So it was possible he'd been referring to his father by the wrong name, right? Iemitsu and Ieyatsu weren't too far from each other.

"That's not the only person you rarely talk to, now is it?" B-By now, he'd given up trying to find out how Reborn-sensei knew so much about him – about _all_ of them. "You have to understand something, Dame-Tsuna—"

"How did you find _that_ nickname out!" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth as he realized the words that escaped his lips. Reborn-sensei raised an eyebrow, Cheshire grin growing across his face. Whoops.

"Dame-Tsuna." Before he had a chance to react, a sharp wooden pencil poked his forehead. "Interrupt me again and understand I'll kill you."

Somehow that threat seemed absolutely wholehearted. The teenager paled, lowering his gaze and shivering as the pencil dug into his skin.

"Your marks are terrible and quite frankly, I haven't been able to read your handwriting. It sucks. Now, Dame-Tsuna, if you don't pass this course, then you may be held back a year. Seeing your face for more than a school year will piss me off. I don't like it when my students fail." Reborn set the pencil down beside him, casually allowing his pet chameleon to stroll on Tsuna's desk. The teenager gulped. He wasn't very fond of…living things altogether, really. "We're still early in the school year. If you get behind now, then you won't be able to catch up when exams come rolling by."

"Ah…I…" Tsuna gulped, unsure if he was allowed to speak or not. "I…I see."

"I understand your grades at your last school weren't very good, either. But _you_ need to understand that I will shoot you if you don't get above an 83 on your next test." Reborn lifted an eyebrow to the barely audible squeak leaving Tsuna's throat. "Perhaps you should get a tutor?"

Tsuna looked up, eyebrow arched. "I-I've never had a tutor before."

"Hn. Find one, or I'll be severely pissed off." Reborn's loafer made contact with his forehead as he swung his legs over. The brunet clutched his head, wincing, and watched the adult make his way toward the door. A violent shimmer appeared in his eyes, smirk across his face. "Or _I'll_ become your tutor."

Uh, that wasn't a good thought. As the door shut behind the man, Tsuna gathered his things, carefully stuffing his backpack before grabbing both crutches and making it toward the door where a worried Yamamoto and an apprehensive Gokudera stood.

He smiled awkwardly. "H…Hi."

"G's waiting up front for you, I'm assuming." Gokudera was first to speak.

"Y…Yeah…" How was he going to explain his bad grade to Giotto? On top of that…was it something that he was _supposed_ to tell Giotto? His stomach sunk slightly as Yamamoto helped him down the stairs toward the front gate. The two were locked in their own discussion about the value of manga while his mind was focused on his brother. Their conversations consisted of ten-worded sentences at _best_, and that was only when Giotto wasn't creating a new rule.

The latest since this morning was the fact Tsuna was _required_ to bathe both morning and night. It was ridiculous, and he assumed Giotto caught onto his binge of trying not to waste too much water. Giotto may have created all these rules ridiculously for Tsuna's best interest, but did that really mean he was also who disciplined him? _How_ would Giotto discipline him? They hadn't even decided on what Tsuna should have called him—Aniki? Niichan? Niisan? Niisama?

He lamented in his head, deciding to let the subject go before snapping out of his thoughts and—"Wh-What on…_earth_?" What the _hell._

There was a Maserati Spyder sitting casually in front of the school, yes, but there was also an odd blob of blond that normally did _not_ come with his babysitter. Giotto sat in the front seat, frown spread across his lips along with a pair of reading glasses and what looked like business papers.

Today was Tuesday. Tuesdays were Giotto's day off, of course. The brunet blinked, head tilted to the side, but Giotto and G were simply conversing in Italian as if they were at home, talking about nothing in particular.

They finally turned to the poor, short teenager, G grinning and Giotto…well, not looking up. "Hey, kid."

"H-Hi…" Tsuna observed the car, red scattering across his cheeks as he quickly realized there wasn't any room for him in a two-seated car.

"Your brother has to go grocery shopping. I'm taking him, since…you know." G gestured to the man too busy with his paperwork to care, and did something with his hands. Apparently despite the fact everyone knew Giotto was an absolutely _horrible_ driver, the blond himself was ignorant. "Well, I duped him into picking you up and taking you, too."

"So…it's gonna be the three of us?" Tsuna picked his words carefully. If he specifically asked if it was just going to be Giotto and him awkwardly shopping in a small market alone, it would have implied something. Not that it mattered, the teenager thought nervously. They both knew how thick the tension ran between them, but pointing it out made it even more awkward.

"Yup." Phew. "You'll have to climb in and sit on Giotto's lap, however." That was enough to get the blonde's attention—and make Tsuna feel more spastic than he should have. Had Yamamoto not been clutching his arm for support, he would have fallen over.

Giotto looked up from his work tentatively, fiery eyes glued to Tsuna's form before he did something the brunet would have never thought he'd see.

Giotto smiled.

His lips curtsied warmly, cheek-to-cheek and eyes glimmering under the sunlight. His hair fell in clumps, neatly framing his face as even a soft chuckle escaped his lips. The only problem, however, was the fact that very same smile…w-wasn't directed at _him._

Tsuna swallowed the lump in his throat, hands on his crutches tightly as he felt his heart tie in knots. I-It was the only time he'd ever seen the man smile, especially sincerely, and they'd lived in the same house for weeks. Many thoughts ran through his head as he realized he didn't know where Giotto worked, nor his hobbies, many of his friends – not even what last name he went by.

But Gokudera knew Giotto through his sister's marriage and Yamamoto delivered sushi to him.

Something bubbled in his stomach, nerves acting up as he leaned into the baseball player for protection.

"Takeshi-kun, Hayato-kun. I take it you're treating him well?" Giotto's hand hung out the car and gestured them closer. Gokudera and Yamamoto obliged, blindly taking the poor brunet with him.

"Of course, haha. He's a really awesome kid! Once his ankle's healed, you should let him try out for track." Yamamoto grinned and petted Tsuna's head affectionately.

Gokudera grinned and playfully poked Tsuna in the rib. "Your kid brother's safe with me, Giotto-san. Don't worry."

"Yes well, your brother-_in-law_ will be getting hell from me once we get home." Giotto did the same with G, harshly poking the man in the rib before casually arching an eyebrow and frowning. "And how's baseball, Takeshi-kun?"

"It's going well." Yamamoto smiled goofily and rubbed the back of his head. "Haha, the seniors think I have a shot in making the varsity team."

"Mm. So your bad arm isn't hurting you _too_ badly?"

"Nah, haha. It's perfectly healed. Hey, G-san!" Yamamoto grinned fully to the warm smile spread across Giotto's face and looked to the redhead waiting patiently in the driver's seat. "Since you two are so close, why haven't you just gotten an apartment together, already?"

"Pfft. He already acts like my wife. There's his son, right there." Giotto pointed casually to Tsuna, who lit up with red. "I've actually got some paperwork I should be doing. How about you come by later with some sushi, Takeshi-kun?"

"Haha, you got it. I'm going to baseball practice anyway." Yamamoto's face contorted curiously. "Uh, so is he seriously going to sit on your lap, haha?"

"Mm." Giotto's eyes lifted from the tall teenager, suddenly landing on his kid brother's before he sighed and opened the door. A smile broke onto his face, but again not directed at the brunet. "I'll talk to you guys later. Hayato-kun, don't forget to look over the files I sent you."

"I still can't believe you're trusting my ex-brother-in-law with a billion-dollar client," grumbled G. He eyed the man with irritation before looking toward Gokudera, who was obviously fuming at the comment.

Tsuna gulped softly, carefully launching himself onto Giotto's lap. The adult tensed at the sudden touch while Yamamoto cheerfully helped by grabbing both crutches and putting them in the back trunk. Gokudera swung his legs over, and with a sudden jerk, the teenager was sitting between Giotto's widespread legs.

"This," murmured the blond in a terse tone, "is really awkward."

"You were doing the same exact thing to Alaude just this afternoon, now weren't you? Get over it." G arched an eyebrow of amusement. Tsuna pressed a hand to his face, red exploding across his cheeks. That wasn't something he needed to know.

"Bye," Gokudera and Yamamoto said in unison.

"Um," Tsuna smiled softly, looking to both of his friends as he readjusted himself in a position that would be more comfortable for the both of them. "Bye."

All the while before they got to the supermarket, he was thinking of how Giotto flashed one last smile to the boys before trying ever-so desperately to keep them from touching.

OoOoO

"Don't forget to take your medicine," G said gently. The day had passed by casually, and the trio found themselves at Giotto's apartment after spending some money at Olive Garden. At first the kid had protested, trying pathetically to order the cheapest thing on the menu. However, he had to realize both G and Giotto were now his guardians and willing to do anything for him.

Well, G was. Giotto wasn't exactly enthusiastic about having a kid brother like he was with work.

Tsuna smiled awkwardly, shifting between his feet as he reached his suitcase and gathered a pair of clothes. G set his crutches aside against the wall, and once the teenager locked the bathroom door, he turned all attention to his best friend.

"I haven't seen you smile like that since he came." G flipped through tv channels before deciding on none in particular. His best friend and business partner was leaning against the kitchen counter, eyebrows furrowed as he looked through his files.

"It's a given. Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun are good kids." Giotto's voice was monotonous when it came to business, as always. After all, the redhead thought with a roll of the eyes, it wasn't unusual for Giotto to be enthralled with his work.

Still…

When did _he_ become the laidback one and Giotto so tense? The question itself was rhetorical, and G knew exactly why his best friend was acting this way.

"Though," Giotto said a bit more whimsically. "Even if the divorce was three years ago, I can't fathom whether or not it was a _bad_ thing Bianchi left you. After all, you slept around the day before your wedding."

"How can _you_ of all people keep bringing it up when you're the one I slept with? God, my ass hurt like hell, mind you."

"Pfft." The blond glared at him loosely, eyebrow arched. "So did mine. And for a man who allows a teenager to drink beer as often you two do, I would assume you'd hold your liquor better."

"Didn't you have to get Alaude drunk before proposing your deal?" teased G. He smiled at the twinge of red scattering his best friend's face before the blond resumed his paperwork. "It worries me, actually."

"Oh?" Giotto was listening despite the disinterest in his tone. It had been how their friendship worked all these years, after all. G knew for a fact he was so close to his dear best friend that he'd follow the man to the ends of the earth.

He forgot when he started following Tsuna. The…kid was absolutely adorable. Shy, timid, and very hesitant. In a lot of ways that the brunet didn't notice, he was a lot like his brother. The resemblance was both there physically _and_ by personality. However, Giotto quickly overcame his own coyness, and he now knew the blond to sink easily into his own skin and become wary. He assumed, however, the reason Giotto was being very shy when it came to his brother was the same reason why G himself was so easygoing around him.

The kid was harmless. Which was probably what scared Giotto.

"You're normally pretty kindhearted and benevolent. Even with Alaude, who I can't fathom why the fuck you like so much – actually I _can_, but don't answer that – you're very tolerant with him. However, with Tsuna…" G smiled sympathetically, leaning his head into the man sitting yards away from him. "Don't you think you could smile a little more?"

Giotto lifted his head from his work, poker face unmoved and papers still flying. "I'm being nicer than I originally intended, now aren't I? So are you."

"He's just a kid." Nana Sawada was a younger woman. G knew this for a fact, and a very pretty one at that. Iemitsu went to her many times, and what both expected was for a spoiled kid who had everything he ever wanted in life, and a semi-perfect family. However even with that, it was obvious Tsuna was too shy for his own good. He wondered, really, if the kid knew he was an accident. Though it was yet to be determined if that was true. Tsunayoshi was either an accident, or worse – his parents planned it.

That was a debate his best friend had been having over the years, and he dared not voice his curiosity to the adult of whom he shared his looks with.

"I know he's just a kid." Giotto's tone wasn't what you would call feral, but close enough.

"Then you should treat him like one. Fuck, Giotto, when we were his age, you actually had a bed." G eyed the blond again, watching carefully for character changes.

"When I was his age, I didn't have a father." Fiery eyes looked up, eyebrow arched. "When I was his age, _my_ older brother wasn't looking after me."

"Dino is only a few years older than you," G stated pointedly. "He and Tsuna haven't even met yet."

"He's busy. Fucking the nephew, no doubt." Giotto snorted and sealed something in an envelope.

"So you're able to accept that kind of dysfunctional behavior from one brother but not the other? Giotto." The redhead arched a warning eyebrow, one hand resting against the coffee table. "I know you're _trying_, but do you really think you're trying hard enough?"

"How can I try any harder if he's too scared to look me in the eye?" The blond snorted.

"Maybe if you actually smiled at me instead of treating me like the awkward mistake."

There was a silence that passed between the two of them. Both turned their heads ever-so slowly, neither having heard the bathroom door creep open as the short brunet teenager leaned against the sink. His face was slightly flushed, eyebrows furrowed and stance wavering. He was buzzed, most likely from after taking his medication. G found out quickly that the poor teenager was weak when it came to medication, and could easily be overpowered, especially by his D.W. pills.

"You want your crutches?" G smiled lightly and rose from his spot. It was 9:38, and the boy would most likely go to bed soon.

However, Tsuna's glare didn't look like it'd disappear anytime soon. "Do you seriously have that much of a grudge against me?"

Uh-oh. G looked over to the blond brother, immediately telling him not to retort, but Giotto took the bait – hook, line, and sinker. Fiery eyes flickered with annoyance, one hand busy with his work as he shrugged. "This relationship between us has been nothing but awkward."

"Because I'm a little shy and you're too caught up in your pride to admit I exist?" Bad, bad, bad. Tsuna wobbled on both feet, but tried to stand firm against the wall.

These were all subjects that were very noticeable between both brothers, but never mentioned. G looked back and forth, nerves eating up against him, and Giotto's frown deepened. "I would think your shyness goes further than just a 'little.'"

"I would think your ego's bigger than you'd like to admit," challenged Tsuna.

"You shouldn't have to hang your head around here like you're unwelcomed. I've tried to make you comfortable."

"_Aren't_ I unwelcomed?" snapped Tsuna. "Two minutes ago you were implying how much of a nuisance I am to you. You can't have sex in this house when I'm around, and about two weeks ago you didn't have to worry about whatever the hell I did." Cripes. The Tsuna he knew never cursed, even when buzzed. "Giotto. I'm not stupid – I only agreed to this because you did. Didn't you think for once that through these years, I knew I wasn't your favorite person?"

Giotto opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off.

"My mother may be the other woman, but I'm the _other child._ An accident. Mistake." Tsuna glowered furiously, wobbling between his feet as both the steaming hot shower and D.W. pills affected his better judgment. "When you were brought into the world, people were _happy_. Ieyatsu had responsibilities to you, yeah, but when I came into the world my _mother_ was the only one happy. He was _obligated_ to be with her, and was barely ever there. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe you and I would get along right off the bat? I'm living evidence as to why your mother and our father don't love each other anymore."

The room was silent. Even with the naivety the brunet often carried around with him, it was obvious now that he didn't think highly of himself for more than a few reasons. Looking to the side, he saw Giotto's expression loosen, more vulnerable with a demeanor of surprise across his face.

"Quite frankly, I don't understand _why_ you agreed to babysit me for the next nine months. They'd need your consent before shipping me off, right?" Tsuna sighed, interrupting both adults' thoughts before he numbly walked toward the door.

That was enough for both blond and redhead to snap out of their thoughts. "Where are you going?" G asked.

"Somewhere." Tsuna shut the door behind him without another word.

"W-Wait—Giotto!" G snapped out of his stupor, but it was already too late. He whirled around, the other brother instantly coming to mind, but was cut off. Giotto had stocked off, nothing but the echo of his slamming door left in his wake.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

What the hell, guys? I vaguely remember at the end of chapter one having a challenge of one review equals one thousand words. I am so glad that I changed that. Because 48000 words for this chapter would have _killed _me. Thanks so much for your reviews, I'm so glad that you guys care so much for this story. I've actually got some stuff at the end of the month, so by the end of July I won't be able to update as much as I want to. Anyway, this chapter could have turned out better, and the reason the end seems so sudden is because it wasn't in Tsuna's POV. xD I seriously wanted to do that, but also put in the adults' perspective, as well.

Anyway, reviews would be nice! No challenge this week! C:


	9. consolation and girlfriends

**HikariYamino **Haha. It's refreshing from the timid Tsuna, eh? Thanks for the review! **StaplerPrincessofDoom** Communication? I have no clue, but your review did make me giggle. And yeah, Gokudera needs to learn how to be honest. And…no. lmao. You'll see later. C: **Breathless02** buzzed Tsuna ftw. You'll just have to see what happens in this chapter! **Like the Colors **Gokudera's psychoanalysis is actually really fun to write. 8059 is really fun since it can go both ways: absolutely touching angst or whimsical comedy. C: And Enma shall appear shortly, you shall see. Before I say THANK YOU, I shall say "I shall say." THANK YOU. **Niwasae** Yup! Thanks for the review! :D **tasty toast **Seriously? Aw, so sad. I actually…didn't know if it was touching enough. But I had done that part pretty late at night, lmao. **Lireach** Like I said before, I'm not sure if I liked this chapter as much. And…you should see when I write in first POV. It gets so goddamn confusing, but hot damn is it entertaining. Tsuna is one of my most OOC people in this story; so I hope it's only by a smidge. **FaerieDemon** Seriouslyy? You guys absolutely love it and I'm not sure. And Enma shall enter shortly. Because I love him. :D Chrome has already appeared, I have something planned for Daemon, and…not sure about Mukuro yet. He's the one person I'm not sure about yet. And 48000 words? Pwn'd. This chapter would be 68000 words. Hehe. **kikyokyoyahibari** You'll just have to wait and see. And this story's completely AU, so there aren't any superpowers, sadly. D: **marsnmonkey** 68000 words. End of story. **.x** HDW!Tsuna in this story is absolutely badass. But I'm getting tired of AU, so maybe I'll write a canon G27 (as canon as it can get) soon. : D Glad you liked it. C: **wolfer **glad you liked it! thanks for the review! **milostudio **Gokudera…I can't tell if he's a hopeless idiot or a genius. Hehe. Dino will appear later, just not now. And…idk, can't remember if I'm behind schedule. :D; **xXxPyroxXx** I'm glad you like it, and…I never actually liked Kuroshitsuji, actually. Strange. Hehe. **C h r o m a TIXX **Dino is better than an OC any day. :D AND THE CHAPTER WAS STOPPED, SO SHUSH. **Soulfightersu** I'm glad you liked it! Enjoy the next chapter! **copycat-capycot **Drugged Tsuna is epic. Lmao. And very many times; you should see them get into a debate with each other. Guess pills _do_ make you need to rant. Hehehe. **sender unknown **ENMA ISN'T A BITCH. WELL OKAY HE'S TSUNA'S BITCH. SORTA. D8 I STILL LOVE THEM TOGETHER NO MATTER WHAT, LMAO. **Zarokin **Giotto'll become more likable with time to come. I love his kookieness. :B WHY DO I HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU, STUPID SLAVE DRIVER? Sobsob. **Desperateembrace **They're finally coming together? Sorta, I guess. Their relationship gets…cuter from here on out. C: **xRynnX **Haha, thanks. I've still got a few more characters to introduce, though. :D And I still love Enma. Brings more angst to the relationship, but still makes me sad. D: AND HE'LL GET HIS PANTS SOON. G and Giotto…make me laugh so much. I love them. And the review's fine, silly. Don't worry. :D **ayumistar00 **Haha, I guess. Thanks for the review and enjoy the next chapter! **meltmallow **Giotto's just…well…you'll have to see in this chapter. And no, they never had sex with each other. S'no tplanned, anyway. :D **HetChrome **Gokudera still needs to learn how to be a little puppydog when it comes to Tsuna. Hehehe. Ohohoho, you're calling Alaude just a 'stick'? hehe. **Lyndine **I'm glad you liked it! Enjoy the next chapter! **ToniChanLovesCookies **Yes he does. D: G gets more screen time soon, actually. I can't leave him out of the story for too long, anyway. Gokudera must suck up some pride. Hehe. **lemonlimediddies **Why, I do too. Hehe. **Seriyuu **You'll just have to wait and see! Enjoy this chapter! **Cattwo28 **Your review. Wouldn't fit on my screen. Lmao, that makes me lol so hard. But also very happy. Hehe. No Yugioh/KHR crossover from me!~ I'm done with YGO for a little while. I'mma end up babbling if I keep talking, but yeah. Yamamoto and Gokudera will end up together soon enough, and Dino and Giotto share the same mother. :D Daemon will be in here later, Knuckles…so cute in here. **xxxKimi-chan **Haha, that's fine. I have a plan for the Varia, just haven't expanded on it yet. :D **yukifangurl31295 **Yup! Thanks for the review! **Mirriox **Updated! And yes, Tsuna on drugs is fun. I have fun plans for him. Hehehe. **Evanescence Angel **Hehe. Drama queen. And thanks, I'm glad you liked it. You'll have to see what happens with Gokudera and Yamamoto!~ **y0u **Haha, that's fine about SP, it was just fun to write. C: My 2700 stories are all smutty, I have a plan to write a few others. C: You're the first to comment about the adult's perspective. I don't like 1827/6927, actually. xD Hm, which probably means it'll be in there for the lulz. Don't really judge via pairing. **Kanberry **– too lazy to change – Gimme a break. I got 68 of you to reply to. Lmao. **373 **AND THEN G AND GIOTTO GOT MARRIED AND HAD A KID. WHO THEY NAMED H. **Queen Phantomhive **Gokudera needs to sort his feelings out less…maturely? Lmao. He thinks he's rational when he's not. **Demon child of heaven **Haha, Giotto's only mean in my story. But the thought of my readers taking out their anger on him in their stories is kinda amusing. Reborn has more of a role in this than what I already have. Hehehe. **Metamorcy **Aw, missed you as a reviewer. :D Tsuna makes me laugh when he's buzzed. Even when he's being serious. Erm, as serious as you can be while drugged, that is. **Chiri-tan **I'M GLAD YOU LIKED IT ENOUGH TO SCREAM AT YOUR PILLOWS. BUT DON'T THEIR FEELINGS. D: **uitsme **Thanks! Characterization means a lot to me. :D HDW!Tsuna…well, drugged!Tsuna is sort of like him, but yeah, there really isn't a _lot_ of similarities to them since, you know, the other one is _fighting for his life_ as a mafia boss. Lmao. **–angels cry018- **You'll see what I have planned. Giotto and Reborn actually don't like each other in this story; but R27 is one of my favorite pairings too. :D **SoulREaper Rukia **This review. Is epic. **Fire Princess21** Haha, it's never happened before? You'll just have to see what I have in store for him. :D **–Otpomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **Rollrollroll. Thanks for the review! **Jamie-LuvesFanfiction** Nice legwarmers. –shot- **yukishira** Yuppers! Enjoy the next chapter! C: **Ophianara Blade **In two weeks I'll be busy. So this is probably the last fast update I can really offer, actually. Sorry!~ **TsunaxGiotto4ever **Thanks for reading! Enjoy the next chapter! **Shi T3nshi **Go Tsuna! And story continued. Enjoy the next chapter! **meerla11 **Gokudera and Tsuna are gonna have a rocky relationship. C: Everyone loves a drugged Tsuna. By the end of this, we oughtta worry if he has to get his stomach pumped, hehe. **moonlightskymist **Thanks for the review! Enjoy the next chapter! **Faust's Oblivion **Aw, thanks. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, enjoy this one! **skitty-nya **Aw, that's really sweet of you. Maybe you're a G27 fan now? Haha. The last time it took me about an hour to reply to all the reviews. Right now, I'm actually timing myself to see how long it takes me to finish, hehe. **racooncity **Haha, Tsuna gets a lot of pity. Must make a mental note for Giotto to get pity now. :D I'd be really happy if you drew something from the story, that'd be really cool. So go for it if you really want to. C: **Kichou **Enjoy the next chapter! **TheAwesomeMe **Thanks, that's very nice of you. Enjoy the next chapter! **yamiatemyugi **Oh, that's really cool. Me too. C: This chapter was probably me trying to get it done so I didn't have to worry about it, hehe. **julesstar **Enjoy the next chapter! **InfinityOnTheRun **Haha, thanks. Gokudera and Yamamoto's relationship is really sweet in this, I love them very much. C: **Vongola Heir **Thanks! Enjoy the next chapter **phanpymanaphy **I'll shorten it when people stop reviewing, lmao. I'm glad you like it, enjoy the next chapter! **PridefulElizondo **YOU'RE VERY WELCOME, I'M GLAD YOU ENJOYED IT, SO ENJOY THIS CHAPTER TOO! :D **ao pudding-king** Haha, really? That's so touching. :D I'm glad you like it so much, and I hope you have time for another review soon, hehe. Blackberry? I had one of those. HOPEFULLY YOURS ISN'T AS BITCHY AS MINE. D8 **Sapphire09** I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next chapter! **Rose-Rainbow** Haha, I don't actually like it when my characters babble on and on. As good as it is to get information, it can also be very annoying. And some details or there lack of make a story all the better. C: 2700 is my OTP right now; most of the requests on the kink meme I've actually filled, hehe. And yeah, I filled out the "What's an orgasm?" one. That was so effing fun, but so many typos. Hehe. I force myself to write. And apparently I have a slavedriver, hehe. Yeah, it implied D18, but you'll see that development later. :D I'll check out the song later! **The RPers HELL group **Giant in a good way or a bad way? And nah, T should be a good rating for the story for now. Until I get to something that's really extreme, the rating'll stay the same. Enjoy the next chapter!

**chapter nine has **consolation and girlfriends

The truth was his drugs were crazy.

Tsuna could remember everything up to forty minutes ago, all involving when he first entered the bathroom to when mind-over-matter screwed him over and caused him to babble everything he'd been thinking about since the day G opened that door and introduced him to his brother, who was bent over and waiting to play um, catcher. Stupidly enough, he was going to add the fact Giotto hadn't called him by his first name since they first met each other.

The fact he could vividly remember everything in the past forty minutes – all including how much soap he'd used before conditioning – meant he probably wouldn't forget this argument, either.

"I," he muttered softly as his head hit the wooden staircase, "am such an idiot."

Not that he _didn't _mean everything he vented. Even though he was the adult, Giotto wasn't very good at it. But he couldn't complain. Most adults at the age of twenty-five were either still out partying or settling down with _newborn_ kids. His so-called wife, G, was more fathomable than he was.

His eavesdropping ended up making things worse. He should have realized this, but also came up with the conclusion that Giotto and G were so fluent in Japanese that talking in either language came naturally to them. So of course, after a day of grocery shopping and Olive Garden, the pair decided to have a lovely conversation in something _besides_ their native language.

The nozzle had stopped, and Tsuna stood there, head light and in need of his medication. By the time he came to his senses (ironically when drugged up), Giotto and G-san were already halfway through with their conversation.

"—_I? So are you." _Giotto's voice.

"_He's just a kid."_ G's voice. And from the looks of it, they had been talking about him.

"_I know he's just a kid_."

"_Then you should treat him like one. Fuck, Giotto, when we were his age, you actually had a bed." _A bed. Tsuna didn't mind sleeping on the couch. While he admitted, the awkward silences and glances Giotto gave him was different than to what he was used to, he tried not to let it bother him. E-Even if it did.

He…he didn't like the relationship they had with each other right now. Nor was he comfortable with how Gioto was before. When it came down to cold, hard facts, Giotto was still mean to him. But what was he to expect? For ten years he thought about how little the adult must have tolerated him, and he found _out_ the reason out when Lambo was born.

"_When I was his age, I didn't have a father."_ Giotto remained unconvinced. What, Tsuna thought as he took mild offense, did he really think _Tsuna_ considered Iemi…Ie_yatsu_ his father? _"When I was his age, _my _older brother wasn't looking after me_."

There were _two_ of them? Tsuna paled, and could only dread what the fourth brother could be like. How ironic; Ieyatsu had two kids with Nana and two with…the _not_-other woman.

"_Dino is only a few years older than you. He and Tsuna haven't even met yet._" He was beginning to wonder why. His patience was running on thin ice, body woozy just a few minutes ago from the intake of his medicine. Tsuna knew his existence had a poor effect on the young adult, but how much of a secret _was_ he?

"_He's busy. Fucking the nephew, no doubt." _

"_So you're able to accept that kind of dysfunctional behavior from one brother but not the other? Giotto. I know you're _trying_, but do you really think you're trying hard enough?" _

"_How can I try any harder if he's too scared to look me in the eye_?"

"_Maybe if you actually smiled at me instead of treating me like the awkward mistake." _

That'd been when he snapped. G's words still rang in his head, and without a grasp of common sense as the D.W. pills ran chillingly through his body, his mouth spoke for his stupidity, and the brunet exploded. He was…was…_infuriated_ that his elder brother thought _that_ lowly of him. Since day one he was trying to make sure he didn't get on the blond's nerves. However, Giotto'd thrown a curveball at him, and it was…was _frustrating_ that the adult would smile at his friends, but not at him. That his brother would…would actually be nice one second and recoil another.

Tsuna meant everything he said to a tee. Obviously there would be conflicts between them, but up until his interjection, Giotto had been the one to call all the shots. Constant new rules, scowls, and glares. _Smiles_ and _chuckles_. The latter point wasn't a big deal, he supposed, but…they needed some type of relationship.

The reality-esque word came back to him. Giotto and Tsuna were stuck with each other for nine months, and needed to make the best of it.

But nine months wouldn't be pleasant if neither got along. Th…They needed to trust each other. Badly.

The door behind him jutted open. Tsuna's fingers coiled around the wooden railing, head resting against unstable wood as the door crept closed. He waited for a moment, intuition telling him that it wasn't G who'd bolted out the apartment. In the few seconds to come, there was a jingle of keys, and the platform gave a soft, waning creak.

"What's the point in locking the door from the outside?" His voice was deeper than expected. Tsuna held on tightly to the railing, fingers trembling as splinters poked his skin, but decided best to keep his mouth shut.

"Why," murmured the blonde elegantly in the soft tenor, "aren't you 'somewhere' like you said you would be?"

Tsuna felt his face redden, but he only pressed his forehead closer to the crap support. He grumbled something incoherent under his breath.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm afraid to go down the stairs." The brunet turned away from his brother, unable to look him in the eye as the blush spread across his cheeks. "For a man who has everything inside that apartment, you sure picked out the crappiest location to live by."

Giotto snorted. Apparently _something_ sounded funny. "I've had this apartment since I moved from France. It's got sentimental value."

"It's got mold, sap, splinters, holes, and looks like it'll break at any moment," Tsuna bit irritably. A silence ran between them, tense as their relationship as one brother sat at the edge of the stairs and the elder stood behind him. Soft creaks filled the air, creeping closer to the brunet's ears before Giotto finally plopped next to him with a small gap between them.

"Let's talk."

"Let's not." A glimmer of ferocity shimmered through the teenager's eyes, and he buried his face against the wood. It smelled bad. Truth be told, he was scared to death. The irrational part of his mind was panicking, claiming that in less than a minute, Giotto would kill him. What he said back there was on impulse, and although he meant it, he didn't think he'd blab it out loud.

"The reason why I decided to take you in wasn't because I wanted to make your life a living hell. My mother wanted me to take you in." That was probably the last thing on his mind. Giotto hesitated, confidence hitching before the creaks changed again. Tsuna tensed and scooted further away. "She's your stepmother, Celeste. You met her when you were born, and again the day you met me."

"And Dino?" Tsuna's voice dropped to an almost inaudible whisper.

"He runs a business back in Italy; Cavallone. Three years older than me – twelve years older than you."

"G-san said that we haven't met yet."

"He's as busy as I am – and a lot better at it. You'll meet him someday – but he's always on one business trip or another. It's been about five years since the last time I saw him." From the corner of his eye, Tsuna saw the blond fiddling with one of his pockets. "He's clumsy, moronic, and thinks of his pet turtle as family. But he's sincere."

"And Celeste?"

"At the time we found out Dad knocked up another woman, she wasn't angry. Even said that she saw it coming. But I was angry for her. Here we are, two sons who got good grades in school, excelled in everything presented to them, and loved him very much. On the other hand, we assumed it was a fling of his. Eventually he wouldn't care for Nana anymore and come back home." Giotto looked over to his brother, who was currently looking in the other direction.

Tsuna's entire body was swaying. With the heaviness of his medication it was hard to keep his head up for more than a few minutes – which was probably why he never saw the board, why Reborn-sensei was always on his case, and why he was currently failing algebra.

"The thing about Iemitsu is, he when he makes a mistake, he commits to it until it's solved. After all these years, I know it's the right decision, but that doesn't mean I liked it."

For the first time, Tsuna took in a breath and shut his eyes. Slowly he shifted his gaze toward the adult, and looked at him inquisitively.

Giotto's lips twitched downward, and he fiddled with the moss growing against his apartment. "My mother wants us to get along because we're family now. She's invited to the wedding."

"Then you know about the wedding." Quite frankly, he was surprised this Celeste woman would even be going.

"Yeah. I jumped to conclusions about you." The adult's voice quieted and he looked away. "Sorry."

Tch. Tsuna fiddled with the wood, picking at it until it broke, and warily closed his eyes. "Yeah."

"That…was good though." Giotto's voice echoed off into the starry night. "What you did."

"You're the last person I'd expect to run out here and talk about it to me."

"This…is new for the both of us." From the very corner of his eye, the brunet watched as pink splattered across his brother's face. Giotto looked away, eyes never once crossing with his, and a sigh escaped his lips. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

"You already said that."

"I meant…on…the first couple…days when we first knew each other." There was hesitation in the other's voice. Tsuna turned his full head, eyebrow arched carefully, and waited as Giotto sat in silence, fighting his inner demons. "We don't have to be 'stuck' with each other. We can…bond."

In a lot of ways, his attitude reminded the brunet a lot of Gokudera-kun. Giotto proved to be a proud young man, and with all his success before being handicapped by a little brother who currently wasn't able to walk was a lot. A twinge of guilt stirred in his stomach. "You're a good man."

"You're a good kid." E-Er, about that… "Too good. I don't want you to feel like an unwelcomed guest this entire time here. Do you…want to start over?"

"I have an F in Algebra."

Giotto said no word. Tsuna picked at the steps beneath him, suddenly aware of the fact his foot was pulsing uncomfortably from the strain he'd put on it. He dared not to look up, and was suddenly brought back to reality when Giotto spoke again. "I'll get you a tutor."

"Reborn-sensei wants to tutor me."

"Perfect punishment." For some reason, Tsuna's intuition was telling him that Giotto wasn't joking around. His teacher's thoughts came to mind again, how Giotto was a successful businessman. It would be no wonder, now that he thought about it, for the older brother to find his grades odd. Had he not been lightheaded from the medication, the brunet would have been far more embarrassed, less groggy, and more aware of the fact that out of all four brothers, he was the second to least successful. Lambo hadn't even started school yet. "Tsunayoshi—"

"Tsuna." The name sounded foreign on the blonde's tongue. Tsuna had his hands clasped together, eyes watching his blushing brother at a glance, and patiently waited for Giotto back down from his little rant. "You'll meet Lambo at the wedding."

Giotto gave him an odd look. "I'm not going to the wedding."

You will after nine months with me, Tsuna thought sternly. He kept his determination to a minimum, instead eying the adult carefully before looking up into the twinkling sky. It was a ridiculous thought, really…but he innocently wondered if Giotto saw the same stars in Italy. Certainly with the bright lights and different aromas with the fruity tongue they were bright over there. However, the man instead moved to Japan in a small city where there were mostly clear skies. If he had the chance to see the foreign land, would he also want to move?

"Lambo is my younger brother," he muttered quietly. Shoving the thought aside, he made a groggy note to remind his sober self to call his mother and ask where the wedding would be. "So he's your little brother too."

Apparently that was another thing surprising enough to keep the blond quiet. They sat there in silence, waiting for the other to say something. Tsuna knew for a fact Lambo and Giotto had never met, and he found himself testing the waters to a just-as-sensitive subject.

To his relief, Giotto simply looked away, a roll of his shoulders proving nonchalance as he fleeted the subject and looked ahead of him. "Ieyatsu. Yoshimune. Yoshinobu. Ietsuna. _Tsunayoshi_—" Surprisingly enough with the light Italian accent, his elder brother sounded simply divine with each pronunciation. "Dare I ask _why_ he was named his youngest son after a sheep?"

"He looks like one." The answer was simple as Tsuna's attention shifted toward the pretty names chosen randomly spewed by the blond. "What do those names have to do with anything?"

Again, the man seemed to have shed another shell of his pride, red skewering across his face. Flustered, Tsuna noted, and he was barely able to keep a firm demeanor about it. Still, the man simply snorted, probably already realizing his blush before mimicking Tsuna's action and picking at wood. "Ieyatsu is my first name. Yoshimune and Yoshinobu are names of our uncles, and Ietsuna is Dino's middle name."

"So you go by your middle name." Giotto nodded. "Giottoniisan—"

"Giotto," the blond quickly interrupted. They locked eyes, intense fiery orbs pressed against fluid caramel, and Tsuna found himself drawing another conclusion. The only time he went by the name Tsunayoshi was when Grandpa Timoteo came to visit, and although the name seemed eloquent and important, he was just a little kid back then. Tsuna was the nickname he went by and also who he considered himself. Giotto didn't go by Ieyatsu for probably the same reason. He never considered them brothers and quite frankly, neither did Tsuna.

Tsuna Sawada and Giotto…whatshisface were two separate people forced together by the strings of fate. There was nearly a ten-year age gap between them, and it'd been eleven years since they saw each other. That being said, there was little to any sentimental value in announcing Giotto was his brother.

It wasn't just because they didn't want to be brothers. It never crossed his mind that Giotto was nothing more than a blood relative; like a distant cousin. Heck, _Enma_ felt more like a brother to the brunet than Giotto did.

"Giotto," Tsuna echoed. Had his mind not seem so fuzzy, his common sense (or there lack of) would have immediately caused him to blush. Even calling Yamamoto by his first name scared the living daylights out of him. He felt his heart flutter, name tingling off his tongue as if it belonged there and hands pressed against his knees. The blond in front of him stared back him, eyebrow arched, but for the first time, there was a change in his expression. "…never mind."

Somehow that only piqued Giotto's interest. Those same brows arched, but this time as confused as Tsuna felt. Maybe even a little panicked.

Unfortunately the medicine was having a worse affect than he expected now. Tsuna blinked at the three Giottos he could see in front of him, and opted to stand up. "I forgot."

In a cruel twist of fate (or rather, something he actually expected out of his brother), Giotto wasn't following what he was saying.

Then again, half of the conversation went through Tsuna's brain before wadding up into something useless. He touched his temple, lightly considering how numb it felt, and stumbled. Giotto immediately rose to his feet, hands grasping the brunet's shoulders before he had the chance to trip. The burning sensation of large palms against his arms came back, and Tsuna kept from hissing.

A hand wrapped securely around his waist, and he awkwardly adjusted, head hitting Giotto's abs one too many times before he remembered where he was. "That's…one thing you and Alaude-san have in common."

He heard something almost too sweet to be a snarl, and a hand dug into his body. "Where on earth did he take you?"

Tsuna would be damned if he even remembered. He arched a soft eyebrow, glaring into Giotto's chest for no apparent reason, and felt his foot pulse awkwardly. "You own a crappy apartment and he has a crappy doctor."

Giotto vibrated above him. The sweet honey-laugh tingled in Tsuna's ears, the hair on the back of his neck standing erect with confusion. It was the first time even a soft chuckle escaped Giotto's lips, and he couldn't help but fall into sync and harmony with it. "It's proof that first impressions don't depict what or who that person is. Don't you agree?"

"Do you?" The words slipped from Tsuna's mouth before he had the chance to retract them. In the few minutes where they were exchanging apologies, something had changed between them. It was a sweet thread of difference, upping one correction both brothers needed, and Tsuna found there was no choice but to agree with the blond. Not only was his ankle and Giotto's apartment proof of a faulty first impression, but the small chuckle. Further into analysis, Tsuna found himself catching the small moments between Giotto and him, before they got to this point.

Giotto blushed. A lot. There was a lot of Giotto's personality that he'd already seen, but mistook. Giotto was confident, not arrogant; honest, but not blunt. Confrontational…but not conflictive.

W…Whimsical. Not…sarcastic. But also very wary. Giotto had been showing what he was really made of for weeks now, with quirks of his eyebrow or assertion of his opinion. He was terse, like Tsuna remembered (vaguely) telling Enma on the phone, but pensive and witty. Wittily terse and pensive.

Though he wasn't going to say his miscalculations were his fault, Giotto's apathy helped little for their relationship.

"Yeah." The voice fell husky against Tsuna's nose. With a strange tickle to the brunet's face, his instincts acted up again, and without a doubt Giotto had read his message loud and clear.

"This," Tsuna murmured as he remembered something Giotto had said earlier today, "is really awkward." Giotto's hand slid to the small of his back, and Tsuna's bad foot, something he hadn't had time to wrap when arguing with Giotto, intertwined between his brother's legs. His own fingers weaved with the wrinkled suit, button yanked at the tips of his nails as he breathed in the odd scent of his brother.

Agilely and fortunately, Giotto twisted them, and Tsuna found his arm slung above his brother's shoulder with no struggle. The look on his face (or what Tsuna could see of it, anyway) showed his brother's discomfort as well. It wasn't as if one night of consolation would make a difference between them; Tsuna may have sucked at math, but he wasn't stupid.

Still, he thought as his cheek pressed against Giotto's for a second before all that kept them touching was Giotto's hand wrapped around his wrist, they were at a truce. Giotto looked as Tsuna first said; awkward and unsure of what to do before they dragged themselves back to the apartment.

Tsuna leaned into his brother, careful to keep from falling over, and met G, who sat idly near the kitchen counter with what looked like business papers. His consciousness was slipping, especially from having his head up for so long.

"Well this is a first," Giotto said wryly as he deposited the brunet on the couch. "I get into an argument over something and you don't butt in."

Tsuna snorted. G did the same, red eyebrow arching in amusement, but he simply flipped through pages. "The kid's a different story. You went after him yourself, didn't you? That alone is enough for me to…" His voice trailed off.

"Gaspare." It was there again; that singe of pink that stung Giotto's cheeks whenever something apparently touchy was being brought up. Tsuna had crossed the line many times, convinced that the panicked look running across the blond's face meant he was fumed. Instead, Giotto was…flustered.

He still had a lot of questions to ask, especially since most of Tsuna's theories remained in his head—whoa, back up.

"Your name's _Gaspare_?" Tsuna blinked, though G seemed unfazed as he howled like a coyote to his best friend's fluster. It was a rich laugh, like the redhead had been storing it up for this precise moment, and he wondered if Giotto would often one-up his best friend the same way Tsuna apparently backsassed Gokudera-kun.

"Well, duh." The red-haired adult wiped away an imaginary tear, grin spread across his face as he eyed the two men. "You didn't think 'G' was my real name, did you?"

Er.

Tsuna blinked. Both men appeared amused by his reaction. With a soft yawn, Tsuna shrugged groggily and wrapped himself in the mess of blankets. It was one thing the brunet had learned over the weeks with his brother, even without the medication. The couch was his now, substituting his bed and the living room in a way, was his bedroom.

He felt a long hand, burning and soothing at the same time, wrap around his ankle. Eyes fluttering close, he assumed one of the adults was wrapping the ankle for him, and was correct.

"You should seriously consider buying a new house."

"I've had this apartment since we first moved here – _you_ lived here."

"Little did I know you would be fucking me a second time. I can't believe the beer you keep around this house."

"_Mmm…_It was good. You kept moaning my name."

"Fuck that. Don't give me that look – why haven't you considered buying a new apartment? He's still got luggage like he's only visiting."

"Why do I need to? After school's out, he's going back with Nana."

"That's eight fucking months. This kid is hard to detach from, dipshit."

"But eight months is eight months. After he leaves, I'll be all alone and free in this apartment again."

"Alone."

"Mm. What are you implying, G?"

"Nothing, nothing. I've just…never seen you smile so sweetly at anyone before."

"…don't wake him up."

"He's on his medication." The mischievousness in G's voice went directly to Tsuna's ears. The brunet yawned softly, lazily realizing Giotto's massaging technique had frozen where it was before he went back to sleep. G chuckled and there were papers being flipped. "They fuck his head up. He won't remember any of this conversation in the morning. Fuck, he won't even remember the argument."

That was a good point.

Tsuna agreed with that.

OoOoO

Haru Miura.

Her eyes were really big, smile plastered across her face along with an incandescent blush that in a way reminded Tsuna of how Kyoko would come up to him every day to politely ask if he was doing alright. She was really cute, the brunet was willing to admit that.

But, he thought halfheartedly as his hand coiled into Gokudera's long sleeve. It was a little chilly for an autumn day, and his sweatshirt hadn't been to the washer's since before he moved in with his brother. _Speaking _of Giotto, Tsuna mumbled to himself as a fervent blush spread across his cheeks.

Giotto…smiled at him today.

W-Well actually, Tsuna thought as his face got even brighter, Giotto had been making an effort of giving him more eye-contact, too. It started on Wednesday, right after Giotto's day off. By now, the brunet figured his brother had a routine of going to Alaude-san's house whenever he wasn't needed before coming back. However, that morning wasn't the case.

Giotto was awake with G also by the door; both adults occasionally glancing over to him as he quickly stumbled to get ready for school. There were blurs in his memory, and the brunet was unable to recall a lot of what he did, but the little chunks where he wasn't medicated played through his head vividly. E-Especially in school, where Reborn-sensei had resorted to threatening him with what he hoped was a green water-gun if he didn't get his grades up by the time exams rolled by in late October.

However, both blond and redhead were talking about something, G obviously stressing Giotto out before his best friend bit back with feral Italian. They shared haughty laughs, and Tsuna wondered how many times they managed to render the other speechless. Obviously Giotto had a better hand at it, but G seemed too good-natured to be a sore loser.

Then for the first time that Wednesday morning, while Tsuna stared with his throat dry and hands slipping on the crutches, Giotto realized their eyes had met and faded into a frown. However, despite how harshly the brunet's chest pounded, his gut was telling him it was simple analysis. Giotto's face twinkled with pink, head tilted into an indifferent G, who asked him if he slept well.

"Good morning," Giotto's voice seemed hoarse as he reentered in Japanese.

Suddenly, Tsuna felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, or whatever other word you might have used. He stuttered a good morning, but ended up falling on his face instead. Fortunately after five seconds of awkward silence, Giotto had burst in a fit of laughter and both men helped him back up.

"Good morning indeed," the blond mused wryly.

From that morning on, Tsuna hadn't been getting those intense gazes from his brother. When it was the three of them – G, Giotto, and him – he would smile, witty banter dancing from his lips in a flirty Italian accent (to Tsuna, anyway) in order to fluster his best friend. All the same, G would make offhanded comments that would get the man laughing before Giotto turned his way on the brink of hesitation, and give him a smile that spread as wide as the sun. The man would stumble with his words, but he obviously was trying. When they were alone, those smiles came far less, and they often found themselves standing parallel, trying to create conversation.

In total, there were probably seventy-six staring contests between them induced by awkward silence. While Tsuna felt his nerves eat at him, he always waited for Giotto to make the first move when it came to them conversing. He had in the past, after all, and the brunet wondered what changed on Tuesday to make Giotto ever-so clingy to him. In spite of his judgment, Giotto's gaze would only raise, pink spread across his cheeks before mumbling something incoherent in his native tongue.

Yet as Tsuna opened the front door this following morning, Gokudera's scowl disappeared into an idiotic grin when Giotto appeared behind the teenagers and entrusted the silver-haired teenager with the duty of keeping Tsuna safe. Gokudera rolled over like an excited puppy (figuratively, anyway), and Giotto's hand on Tsuna's shoulder caused butterflies to grow in the teenager's stomach.

Giotto said he would be doing the laundry and that he would gladly do Tsuna's. With no choice, Tsuna nodded in agreement and his brother caught a ladybug on his shoulder.

"Got it," teased Giotto. He grinned playfully, something Tsuna had only seen when the blond was with G, and blew it away. "Have fun."

I-It wasn't a big deal. In fact, the biggest deal was the fact the brunet was deathly afraid of bugs, but Giotto had smiled for the first time, not having to _try_ as he melted into a nature Tsuna began to realize was very sweet, mischievous, and full of whim. From what he heard from the stories both G and Giotto ceased to tell, the blond dragged his best friend everywhere and managed to perfect his acting to the point Giotto was in a win-win situation.

"Hahi?" He was immediately pulled from his thoughts as the girl, Haru Miura, looked aside from Gokudera-kun's shoulder and locked eyes with him. "Looks like you scared him, Gokudera-san!"

"A-ah," Tsuna stammered, hand still clinging onto Gokudera, who he suspected was only still being nice to him because Giotto told him to. Pulling away from the silver-haired teenager, the brunet stood parallel, painfully noting that Gokudera-kun was much taller than him. "Tsuna Sawada. Call me as you like."

"Hmm." Certainly that odd look that Haru was giving him wasn't exactly flattering. Tsuna arched an eyebrow parallel to Haru's, and frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, no!" She giggled, but again the girl walked around them, hands on her hips as she tapped both her boyfriend and occasionally Tsuna. Gokudera-kun looked somewhat irritated, but held his tongue. At least for a little while, anyway. Tsuna awkwardly rotated his bad ankle, and cringed at the stiffness. Although he was allowed to unwrap it two days ago, it still felt weird. "You just don't look like the type of person Gokudera-san would hang out with, Tsuna-san."

Ouch. Then again, Gokudera-kun was the type of person who would beat Tsuna up. The smaller teenager wrapped a hand around his cellphone, instinctively ready to text his best friend in case he needed a distraction while the other hand wrapped oh-so casually into Gokudera's grasp.

Had he been paying attention, he would have noticed grouchy green eyes look his way, confused, but not protesting. "Fuck that, woman. It's Yamamoto's fault that I even know him."

S-So…Gokudera spoke like that even to his girlfriend. Haru apparently didn't mind, or appeared to be used to it after about five months of dating. Instead, she probed and prodded the uncomfortable brunet again, head tilted to the side before tucking both hands behind her in confusion. "Hahi? How so?"

The silver-haired teenager opened his mouth to speak, but apparently had to close it. Instead, he rotated his head until green eyes met brown, and a fervent half-Italian eyebrow was raised. "How?"

"I-I…" Tsuna gulped slowly, realizing he was now the center of their attention and sheepishly shrugged. "It…was my first day here. I ran into Ryohei-senpai first, and he challenged me to a race to the sushi bar – "

"And that's how you met him?" Haru smiled genuinely.

"Erm, no." The brunet smiled back sheepishly, unsure of what to say before continuing. "But I walked around a little and found him. He…was batting a little and we talked about—" Suicide.

Tsuna's mouth was left open as he realized what he was about to say. His first impression of seeing Yamamoto involved the baseball player doing what he did best ad what he was doing at this very moment – swinging a baseball bat. He'd yet to see Yamamoto play in his games, but left and right he'd heard from not only Yamamoto, but a lot of the other classmates who said Yamamoto was really good at baseball. The boy was devastated when he broke his arm, and obviously that piled onto the fact Gokudera now had a girlfriend.

It…wasn't something that he had a say in.

Gokudera and Haru were both giving him looks, but the brunet simply smiled and nervously shrugged.

"We talked about knitting. I guess he thought what I said was interesting and um, decided that we should hang out." Technically that wasn't a lie. The feeling of guilt tingled in Tsuna's stomach and he pulled away from Gokudera's grasp, suddenly feeling awkward. "Sorry."

That same look was still on Gokudera's face. Haru remained oblivious, looking between both boys silently as the silver-haired teenager glowered into chocolate-caramel eyes. Tsuna cringed, looking away slowly. What on earth could he be thinking?

"Hahi? Hmm, how about we grab a bite to eat and then go visit Yamamoto-san's game?"

Before they had the chance to protest, Haru grabbed Tsuna by the arm and dragged him away. "Whoa!" Gokudera was behind them, walking at a leisurely pace, and the brunet felt his face burn with pink.

"Y-You know I'm not your boyfriend, right?" Th-This didn't make any sense! Quickly checking his watch and gulping as his bad foot hit something awkwardly, Tsuna came to the conclusion that it was a quarter past noon. Again, the brunet looked over his shoulder, immediately noting that Gokudera was glaring daggers into the back of his head.

Haru smiled sweetly, maybe even a little giddily as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Tsuna-san is so compact-sized, though! Can't I hug you a little more?"

Ah…um… He supposed…with the gap between them…Tsuna eyed the envious Gokudera once again before leaning into Haru's touch, constantly reminding his panicking self that he simply wanted to get comfortable. "Can I…ask you a few questions?"

"Hahi! Sure!" They jerked to a sudden stop, and Tsuna almost tripped. Instead he turned around, pink tingling his cheeks as Gokudera caught up to them.

He didn't look pleased. "You know you're _my_ woman, right?"

"Hmph! That's so sexist of you to say, Gokudera-san!" Haru pouted, hands crossing over her chest while still maneuvering a hooked arm into Tsuna's. The short brunet felt himself turn pink, and desperately hoped this wasn't going to be another thing the silver-haired teenager hated him for.

"Well_ fuck_, Haru. Don't be shitting me if you think we're in an open relationship. And for the _Tenth_ of all people." Green eyes pointedly glared at brown ones, and Tsuna stiffened. He pulled his hand away from Haru, awkwardly looking away while the two apparently had a lover's spat. "Would you like it if I suddenly grabbed the nearest woman I saw and made out with her?"

"Haru doesn't need to worry, desu!"

"And why the fuck not?"

Very many reasons. But Tsuna had to remind himself that because he no longer had to take his D.W. painkillers, he didn't have a grapple to Gokudera's foul mouth. He suddenly caught the small smile on Haru's face, almost playful as she placed a hand gently on her boyfriend's chest.

"Tsuna-san is Giotto-san's brother, right? Have you ever had spaghetti, Tsuna-san?"

He'd never even held a fork. Tsuna shook his head, red rushing to his face as he contemplated that statement. Giotto was technically only half-italian. Tsuna himself was full-bred Japanese, but only knew the Japanese language. However, the brunet assumed Giotto knew many languages such as French, German, Russian, English, Dutch, and of course, Japanese and Italian.

What's with assumption, he thought with a roll of his eyes. Tsuna scratched his neck nervously as he recalled only a few weeks ago Giotto attempted to drive. It didn't end well.

"You've never had spaghetti." Gokudera-kun was the one talking. He stared at the brunet incredulously, eyebrows at the highest point of his forehead as green orbs widened. "Your brother is the badass Giotto Vongola, and you've _never had fucking spaghetti_?"

Gokudera-kun was half-Italian too, according to Yamamoto. Tsuna felt his ears turn pink and he shook his head again. He remembered seeing it on the menu at Olive Garden a few nights ago, but was too shy to order it since it seemed so expensive.

"Fuck that!" the silver-haired teenager's voice raised two octaves. He immediately stomped off in a planned direction, screaming to the heavens, "You're fucking eating the greatest dish known to mankind!"

Haru was giggling at her boyfriend's antics. Tsuna's mouth fell to the ground, hands going limp at his sides as he looked after his friend. "Sh-Shouldn't we go after him?"

"Hahi?" she grinned wholesomely and looked at him curiously. "You wanted to ask me a few questions, right?"

Starting with how she avoided Gokudera's threat to cheat on her, actually. The behavior seemed all too casual, and the prodding and poking put something off in Tsuna's head. He stared at the girl, caramel brown eyes hesitant to break the news of Gokudera's very-debatable sexuality, and shrugged. "How…did you two meet, I guess."

"Yamamoto-san introduced us."

"_Eh_…?" He couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. All-in-all, it was probably the most ironical situation that could ever happen. The brunet looked up, disbelief written across his face. Haru caught his surprise ad expanded on her explanation.

"We met up in our first year of middle school. My school's team was playing visitor at their school, and on my way to see the game I got lost. Yamamoto-san helped me out, and since I was there by myself, Gokudera-san was forced to look after me." She hummed sweetly, eyes rising toward the sky. "He and I never actually got along, but Yamamoto-san insisted that I tried befriending him. Like, _really_ insisted."

"Oh." Tsuna drew a conclusion in his head, but decided not to vocalize it. "Then how did you two end up…together?"

"_He's_ the one who insisted on it." Haru smiled genuinely and gestured to the front, where Gokudera was nowhere to be seen. They stopped near a restaurant. She quickly sat down and pulled Tsuna to the other seat. "It was before Yamamoto-san's last game against the last school during playoffs, and he demanded that I went out with him. I'd…say what he said, but I don't think it's age appropriate, hehe."

So where did that leave Yamamoto? Tsuna's face fell grimly, nerves bubbling at the pit of his stomach as he was rendered speechless. Gokudera may have asked out Haru, but the more he thought about it, the more it became apparent that the hothead was further in denial than anyone would have thought.

"…maybe it's right, maybe it's wrong." Haru interrupted his thoughts as she stood up and leaned into his vision. Tsuna could feel his cheeks flush, but the look crossing over hers was different. Knowing, even. "But we're high school students, you know? Not a lot of peoples' love lasts very long from high school. Haru believes in fate, desu."

"Ah…" Tsuna blinked and looked to her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"True love, of course." She grinned giddily and pulled a lock of hair behind her ear. "I think that true love exists, but it takes guts to find it. Sometimes you can't because there's such a large age gap between the two people, _centuries_, even. Or…or…Your true love could be your cousin, who you married in a past life or something."

"So do you think Gokudera-kun is your one true love then?" He could feel his face darken, suddenly realizing he was talking like he was some love struck girl at his school.

"Maybe…maybe not. Time will tell." Haru rested a hand on the table, looking the other way.

So did she…know about Yamamoto then…? "Ah, Haru!" Tsuna stood from where he sat, one hand yanking at Haru's wrist until she was pressed up against him. A wary look spread across his face, and he looked at the rolling cart that nearly knocked the girl over.

"Hahi?"

"Phew." The owner of the cart burst into a scream, quickly apologizing if it hurt anyone before running elsewhere. Tsuna smiled, looking down before he stupidly realized she and he were nearly the same height. Large brown eyes stared back at him in wonder, and he missed the pink that spread across her cheeks. "E-Erm…are you alright?"

Haru was still staring at him. Under the gaze he felt his feet shift, nervousness consuming his better judgment as he peeled away from her. "You saved me!"

"It's…erm, not a big deal. I-I don't think." Tsuna pulled at the collar of his shirt, eyes still glued to his friend's girlfriend, who was now disregarding his need for personal space.

"Hmm…." She leaned toward him intently, and the brunet quickly found himself plopping back into his seat. "What was I saying? Oh…yes…Haru believes in true love…hehe…"

"Fuck, Tenth! Are you _trying_ to steal everyone I like?"

Unfortunately it seemed to be something he was talented in. Tsuna felt dizzy, hand curling into his hair as Haru finally snapped out of her stupor and looked over to her boyfriend. The scent of foreign food filled the air, and he blushed as his stomach growled.

His heart pounded when green eyes vehemently glared at him.

"This isn't what it looks like," Tsuna insisted quickly. He paled as Gokudera continued his glower. Finally, the couple sat in a pair of seats opposite of him and the bag of food was thrown onto the table.

"Spaghetti. And garlic bread. You better fucking eat it all."

"Y-Yessir." Actually…h-he was allergic to garlic. Instead, Tsuna pulled out a fork, oddly staring at it before picking at his spaghetti. Stealing quick glances from Gokudera, the brunet finally settled in, coiling the noodles and tentatively taking a bite. "I-It's good."

"You bet your ass it's good. Fucking best place in Namimori to get spaghetti." Gokudera broke into one of his proud grins, and Tsuna decided best not to question him.

"Gokudera-san, do you think the coach will get angry at us if we go watch Yamamoto-san practice?"

"Che. Doubt it, I go all the time."

Tsuna perked at this. Apparently, so did Haru.

"Ehh?"

Red fell across the silver-haired teenager's face, and he immediately looked away. "H-He asks me to. And he doesn't stop until I go."

That was a downright lie. But Tsuna valued his life far too much to point this out. Instead, he finished the rest of his spaghetti in peace while Haru and Gokudera got into little spats about useless things. However, he thought slowly as his eyes fell to their hands, Gokudera was becoming more and more of a puzzle to him.

Especially when she held his hand and he tenderly smiled.

OoOoO

Gokudera knew all of Yamamoto's forms and tactics. At least by the end of practice, Tsuna had a feeling he did. The entire time as they sat on the benches, Haru would make silly comments of how great Yamamoto was good on the field, and Gokudera retaliated, constantly explaining how long Yamamoto had been playing baseball and how good he was at it. Scouts apparently came during their third-year of middle school, checking Yamamoto's status and confirmed if he trained hard enough, the teenager could make it into the major leagues.

All the while, no one actually _mentioned_ Yamamoto. They stared, Haru would cheer, and Gokudera would critique. He knew more about the game than he let on, and would immediately call Haru a stupid girl.

Not that he cheered. But Yamamoto looked their way several times, laughing when he had the chance and flashing grins to all three of them. Gokudera would get flustered and call him an idiot under his breath. But that blush…l-looked really odd on his face.

Tsuna looked to Gokudera as they made it back to the apartment complex. The sun was setting, air getting chilly under September weather and he shivered. They'd dropped Yamamoto off first, and Gokudera was apparently still in charge of getting him home before curfew.

Ugh. He wondered with Giotto's newfound niceness if he would be able to change his 6:30 curfew. It…just wasn't _right_! _Why_ did he have that curfew, anyway?

"You got something to say?" Gokudera snapped. They made it to the stairs up to Giotto's horrendous apartment, and Tsuna stood at the bottom with a nervous look spread across his face.

"Haru seems really nice." A-And kept looking at him. And holding Gokudera's hand. And making Gokudera smile. But Yamamoto made Gokudera blush. Gah, this was confusing. Tsuna settled with picking at a piece of wood and looked up to Gokudera, who obviously wasn't expecting that comment. "She's a good girl."

The silver-haired teenager's face twisted into a not. He looked away, head held high as he scoffed. "Feh. Troublesome woman."

"Th-Thanks for taking me out today," Tsuna called. "I…hope we can be friends."

"…just don't act like a fucking girl every time I walk you up to your doorstep." Gokudera's eyes narrowed and he rolled his eyes before muttering a goodbye and trotting down the stairs.

"Bye." A sigh of relief left the brunet's throat and he knocked the door. After the second knock, Giotto's face was first to greet him, but he didn't look pleased.

"You're almost late for your curfew. I was…worried." The blond arched a careful eyebrow before gesturing for his brother to enter.

"Sorry, I was…sorry." He sighed in defeat and wiped the sweat off his brow. Giotto's eyes stayed on him as he walked up to the couch that was also his own little territory. Gokudera and Yamamoto's problem came flooding back to him, and—"Are you wearing an apron? Are you cooking? Is that a…a _tong_?"

Tsuna's face turned red the same time Giotto arched an eyebrow of amusement. He mumbled a quick sorry as he pulled the comforter over his head, and a soft chuckle left the blond's throat. Tsuna shivered. Giotto may have been doing a lot of that nowadays, but he was expecting for his older brother to turn against him at any minute.

"I've just…" Tsuna chose his words carefully, hands fumbling with one another. "You're always….you um…cereal and late nights."

The only time he really saw Giotto up early in the morning was during the weekends before he left, and the man normally grabbed a box of cereal before calling it a morning. Giotto worked late nights every day but Tuesday and even with his attitude change, they would only get into brief conversations before Giotto went to bed without being seen for the rest of the night.

"I'll pretend like I understood that." Giotto's tone was leveled before he went back to the kitchen. Tsuna looked to the TV nervously, where some demented baby was trying to teach a poor kid to become a mafia boss, and held onto the cushions gently. "I'm experimenting."

"At _what_?" Fortunately nowadays, it was getting easier to talk to Giotto. Or at least, Tsuna's nervous babbling was now getting overlooked.

"Making dumplings."

Nana had made dumplings for him during special occasions. The last Tsuna remembered, tongs weren't required. He stared at his brother in confusion, and decided to drop the conversation. Out of the many things he knew about Giotto now – mischievous, playful, witty and whimsical – the blond was another thing: very odd.

"Tsuna."

"Y…Yeah? G…Giotto?" Tsuna reddened. The name fell off his tongue easily and tingled in his mouth.

The adult stood opposite of him, tong at hand. A sizzling sound could be heard in the background, and Tsuna consciously lowered the volume on TV to get a better look at him. The blond's face turned pink, and he lifted something off the pan before their eyes met again. "It's burnt. Do you wanna eat out?"

"With you?" To that, the brunet slapped a hand across his lips. The look on Giotto's face changed into a mixture of surprise and suspicion. Pink melted into red, and with a steady hand, Giotto turned the stove off.

"We've been skirting around it for a while." Skirting. What did that even _mean_? "And we've still got eight more months with each other. It'd be more…_pleasurable_ if we got to know each other. So…let's…get to know each other."

Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't. He was beginning to suspect this was some indirect punishment from Gokudera-kun for not eating the garlic bread. Finally, he collected his thoughts and eyed him hesitantly. "Are you…sure?"

The look on Giotto's face was far from joking. The gaze was stern, but somehow his brother managed to make him feel relaxed. "I won't bite your head off if you don't bite off mine."

For some strange reason, that made him smile. His lips stretched from one cheek to the other, heart tingling at his brother's feathery accent as he stood up from the couch and looked around for his backpack. "I-I just…need to get ready and we can leave."

The other was silent for a long time.

"G-Giotto…?"

"Right."

Tsuna failed to see the flustered blush that stole most of Giotto's face. Another thought came to mind and he paled. "C-Can I drive?"

OoOoO

_I love you so much. _Send. Message Sent.

New message. Message Opened. _You've been saying that since I got on the train. _

_Yeah but this could get kind of awkward. You're staying for the whole weekend, right?_ Send. Message Sent.

New Message. _I think it'll be perfectly fine. And I want to meet your brother. You said you were getting along, right?_

Something like that. Tsuna's face reddened as he reread his best friend's text message for the fourth time and hesitantly responded to him. He tucked the phone in one of his pockets, nervously smiling at his two new friends, who were currently bickering over a shared pretzel. October winds slapped him in the face, and he shivered under his sweatshirt, tugging it so that it met his waist.

His arms and legs were aching constantly, and he wondered why his pants were becoming a short fit for him. Pushing the thought aside, the brunet pulled a lock of hair behind his ear and broke into a grin when Gokudera began to blush. "Um, you guys didn't need to be here."

"What, haha?" Yamamoto flashed a grin, quickly spinning his feet so that they met eye-to-eye. "Your friend is coming to visit, right? We wanna know what he's like!"

"Yeah. To see if he's got more balls than you do." Gokudera's eyes narrowed irritably, almost expectantly. They'd been waiting at the train station for almost twenty minutes now.

Tsuna took in a deep breath, head spinning with excitement. "I…um…I hope that you guys like him."

"He's a friend of yours, isn't he?" Yamamoto broke into another laugh and tucked both hands in his pockets. "Hey, Gokudera. You look cold, do you want my jacket?"

"Wh-What? Fuck no, I don't want your damn jacket!"

"Ow, that hurts, haha."

With a roll of caramel brown eyes, Tsuna turned his head back to the train tracks, which…was now occupied by a train. Omigod, omigod. He felt his chest tingle with excitement, quickly checking his phone again for Enma's latest message.

_You seemed happy on the phone the last time we talked._

Yeah. The last time they talked was a few days ago when they were preparing the redhead's trip. Tsuna was sitting on the couch, silly grin spread across his face while Giotto asked him what he wanted for dinner. After the blond left in order to pick up pizza, Enma commented on how pretty Giotto sounded.

Pretty. _Pretty_! He understood handsome, but pretty was…well… It kinda…did sum up what his brother looked like. Tsuna turned pink at the thought. Giotto looked…very pretty. He had a slim build, fervent personality, and pretty locks of blond that almost kind of glowed. In the dead of night, Tsuna often found himself thinking of those blazing Italian eyes, and he shivered. He wondered, really, how many of Iemitsu's traits did Giotto get. And…he wondered what Giotto's mother looked like—

"Tsuna."

"Oof!" He was victim of a hug. Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts the instant red hair blinded his vision and quickly found Enma burying him in an embrace. A smile spread across his face and he hugged the boy back before quickly realizing the train had stopped and many people were wandering around either looking for those to pick them up or running off on their own.

From the background, he heard Yamamoto sharing a laugh and incoherent babbles from Gokudera-kun. Red scattered across his cheeks nervously as Enma let go, and he got a good look at his best friend.

Skinny. Enma was more petite than he was; eating only what was needed to live, and hid it well under baggy clothes and sweatshirts. His hair was still red as ever and…Tsuna frowned.

His fingers found the redhead's face, and despite the delicate smile running under his best friend's nose, he rubbed the bandage wrapped securely on Enma's eye. "You've been bullied again."

Enma smile fell, but only a little before he forced another one and shoved both hands in his pockets. "Used to it," he whispered under his breath.

"You shouldn't be used to it," Tsuna said warily. He brought the redhead closer to him, hands cupping the other's face. Biting his lip, Tsuna tilted his head with each of Enma's little cringes before struggling to smile. "But…you're here now. And that's all that matters. I really missed you."

"I've missed you too." Enma laughed softly before they hugged again. After their second embrace, scarlet eyes looked over Tsuna's shoulder, hands intertwined before asking oh-so innocently, "Should we start acting…"

Romantic now? Tsuna blushed, suddenly realizing he hadn't the slightest idea on how to be romantic before turning his head. "Y…Yeah. Gokudera-kun, Yamamoto, this is my best friend, Enma."

"Yo." Yamamoto broke into one of his grins. "You two look cute together."

With a deep breath, the brunet turned his head, grip tightening over Enma's hand before his gaze landed on Gokudera. The silver-haired teenager looked between the both of them, face unreadable before he shrugged and broke into a smirk. "Tiny."

Enma blinked in confusion. Tsuna laughed softly and leaned into his best friend. So the plan to get Gokudera-kun off his back about liking Yamamoto was going better than he thought. "Trust me," he whispered softly, "that's a compliment."

The redhead nodded softly before Yamamoto politely gathered his luggage. "Ah, that reminds me. I have your birthday present."

Tsuna turned red. "Y…You didn't have to—" Gokudera and Yamamoto came into a dead halt in front of them.

Suddenly they whirled around, shock written across both their faces.

"_BIRTHDAY_?"

The brunet blinked. He ran through all of the conversations that he had involving Enma, but it was only Wednesday that he mentioned his best friend would be visiting. Then again, he never told them _why_… Tsuna pressed a hand to his face.

"Oops."

OoOoO

Nimrodooooo, where are youuuu? Where for art thou? Deny thy father and refuse thy name, and I shall no longer be a Capulet. …Yeah, that's all I memorized. 68 reviews for the last chapter; you guys pretty much scare me, haha. Anyway, I wasn't planning on have Enma show up for a little while longer but eh, seemed appropriate. :D SINCE THEY'RE BOTH DECIMO AND NEXT CHAPTER IS CHAPTER TEN. HARHARHAR.

And you guys seemed to have forgotten something. Tsuna. Is deathly afraid of the crappy stairs. xD I commend you all for thinking up where he would run to, but…now you know. Well…I'm tired, trying to think up something to write for Time's Up, in the middle of sewing an Enma doll, debating on whether or not to write another G27 story or R27 story that relates to canon and…am currently head-over-heels in love with Cozart x Giotto right now. No lie. As much as people are thinking Enma is a douche in the manga right now…I absolutely love him. And still love 2700. xD Anyway, um…review? Too scared to challenge anyone.

PS: I kinda hurried when replying to all the reviews. If you're not in there, then I'm sorry!


	10. awkward moments and misunderstandings

**-Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **Tsuna can just be klutzy these days! Haha. **FaerieDemon **Haha, cliffhangers used to be my specialty; not prolonging the inevitable yaoi thathas yet to come. And of course, Enma rocks my socks. **Zarokin **Dude, it's gotten to the point that I actually can't fit them all on my computer screen. But then again, my resolution is um… 800 x 400, I think? STUPID SLAVE DRIVING. I BETTER GET PAID FOR THIS. **crobdearg **I'M GLAD YOU LIKE IT. HERE IS MORE ENMA. …THAT IS ALL. **luna faith90** You'e welcome. And yeah, Gokudera and Tsuna will be getting along pretty soon. :D **Faust's Oblivion **Haha, really? I think I was two days late when I updated, actually. **Kanberry **Hearts! And yeah, that was trying really hard to make Tsuna and he seem adorably couple-like without realizing it, haha. Typo? Still too lazy to change it. Don't care, trust me. Lmao. **Metamorcy **I've got one thing to say to you. I UPDATE THIS, YOU UPDATE FORGOTTEN TIME, AND FOR ALL I CARE, GIOTTO, TSUNA, AND REBORN CAN HAVE A THREESOME. –shot- **Iyoushi** Yuppers. Haha, thanks for the review! **milostudio **2700 is one of my favorite couples, really. I don't actually have a lot of favorite 27 couples. xD Alaude will come in sooner or later. And Bianchi's somewhat already in the picture. :D **SoulReaper Rukia **Rawr. Rawwrr. G gets love in this chapter. I think you will absolutely love it. **copycat-capycot** …I actually draw. Like, not as well as I write, but I draw well enough, lmao. It might end at the wedding. But even if I have a soft spot for you, why on earth would I _blab_ in a public chapter? Haha. THIS STORY'S TASTES ARE STRICTLY AIMED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF G27 AND 8059. AND DON'T KILL ME AT THE END OF THIS CHAPTER. I'M SURE YOU WILL. **lemonnlimediddies **Haha, he actually forgot. Somehow I don't believe Tsuna to be sly enough to dance around the subject. :D **ayumistar00 **Someone's a little cra-zy!~ But that's okay. Have fun with the story! **Kichou** Thanks for the review per usual. Enjoy the chapter! **ao pudding-king** Haha. I hated my blackberry so much. All It was good for was the damn keyboard and I had a pearl before switching to a Samsung Behold. Stupid touch screen. **C h r o m a TIXX **You shall have to wait and see! **The RPers HELL group. **Haha. Kudos to me? **Azalie-Kauriu **It really is, I think, but the relationship that I really think about when it comes to Cozart and Giotto is what happened before Cozart was slaughtered, you know? Apparently they were like "brothers", but in this story Giotto and Tsuna _are_ brothers and…well, we know where that's eventually heading. Lmao. **qqsha **Happy birthday to them then! :D If you reviewed the last chapter, you would have been review number 69. Lmao. Haha, Tsuna's knitting will come in handy soon, but he's not competent enough to make a good scarf. Hehe. **AlcoholicTree **I'm glad you really really look forward to reading this. I really really look forward to you reading this, too. ;D Haha. Doesn't sound creeperish at all. **julestar **Enjoy the next update! **lightdark54 **You'll see what happens! Enjoy the update! **Mirriox **Giotto bottoming with Tsuna? Why, it's not like I've _never_ done that before. Hehe. Hehehe. No, not at all. Lmao. I love Enma to death…regardless. Makes him cooler. xD I care little for the uke/seme system (if that doesn't hint anything), but I hope Tsuna retains his air of dominance to Enma. I still see it. **Soulfightersu **Drugged up Tsuna is always so odd. I love writing it. You'll have to see what happens when they all meet up at the wedding! Hehe. **Chiri-tan **Giotto responds. Soon. Maybe in this chapter. Maybe not. Idk, read it. lmao, enjoy! **ToniChanLovesCookies **I've yet to write Giotto's input and analysis on this, but I can't wait to. You'll just have to see what happens in this chapter. :D **Candy Princess **I'm glad you like it so far, and yeah. In this, Tsuna and Enma are joined at the hip. Hehe. **Ophianara Blade **Yay. **Breathless02 **Haha, we'll just have to see what happens later then, eh? Giotto's portrayal in this is a lot cuter than you guys see so far. I wouldn't go as far as calling him a tsundere, but on some level he shares some traits with Gokudera. Hehe. **Cattwo28 **Fits on my screen. You. Failed. HAHA. mockmockmock. Copycat-capycot is your rival; she took the cake this chapter, hehe. **Mistee **Aw, that's so sweet. I'm glad you like it so far! **StaplerPrincessofDoom **DECIMOS DESERVE TO BE UPDATED TOGETHER. And it's almost three in the morning over here. I must be losing it, haha. hurrhurr. **Little Lady Lime **Enma is Enma. And he needs some type of development, y'know? I think I'd find him more boring, actually, if he didn't do anything. Haha. **marsnmonkey **I had to memorize Shakespeare for ninth grade, haha. You'll just have to wait and see Giotto's thoughts much, _much_later. **musiclover21 **Haha, as much fun as DW!Tsuna is, you guys make me laugh. We can't have him drugged up every time Giotto and he talks. Bad for the brain cells, oui? **xRynnX **Truth be told, I think his real name is Giotto. xD Like, he shortened it after knowing Giotto for so long and thus, that's how they'd known each other 'til death do them 'part. Scar. Scar. _Right._ You'll see that later, haha. I'm full…Asian. Hehe. **sender unknown **YES, BUT HE'S TSUNA'S BITCH AND FOR ALL I CARE, TSUNA CAN FUCK HIM SENSELESS UNTIL ALL THE EVIL IS FORCED OUT OF HIM. LMAO. **Seriyuu **You'll have to wait and see!~ Enjoy the next chapter! **Charlotte.H **After a while, I'm actually thinking of quitting the fanfic business. I've got a couple of original stories underwraps in my head atm. C: **Lenah-1827 **Aw, woe is you. You know? Right now, I'm listening to "Hush, Hush" by the Spill Canvas and their lyrics involve the love interest cheating and the sinber knowing it. lmao. You'll have to find out! **xxxKimi-chan **Varia? Pshhh, who said anything about the VARIA? They're totally not gonna show up! Not at all! Ever! …heh. I've yet to properly introduce Hibari; I gotta find a way to do that. xD **Nimrodo **Aw, sweet as always. And in about a week I'll be busy with my own stuff and…won't be free until probably the end of November, haha. You get what you get, silly. C': 2:45AM over here. No worries, love. **An anonymous Fangirl **My intuition is telling me that at this very moment, you're reading my response to your review. Lmao. hehehe. **Queen Phantomhive **I have so much fun drawing Enma's eyebrows. Not gonna lie, those little things are pretty damn sexy. xD **5minutes-to-midnight **Haha, I don't really like 5927 much, but I tolerate it pretty well. AND I LOVE THAT SONG, THANK YOU. **Fire Princess21 **YAY KUDOS T ME. **Happy2Bme **Haha, inbox is clogged with spam half the time. And thanks fo all of the compliments. C: And people should lay off Enma. Guy was gonna end of the villain, anyway, and I fucking love Amano and can't wait to see my two favorite little boys duke it out. Hehe. **y0u **Nah, for some reason I don't like them. I'm pretty particular with my couples, and one of my apparent preferences is, I like my characters to be the same height, first and foremost. Obviously they're not, and…I have exceptions to other couples. But I don't openly bash. Not my style. C': I read fanfiction on my iPod. Pleasant. xD **meerla11 **Haha, he and Enma are just two oblivious little boys. xD **Demon child of heaven **haha, I don't like APH, actually. xD But it doesn't offend me. Used to like it, then got back into KHR. **Phil **Haha, I'm glad you liked it. Enjoy the next chapter! **HetChrome **Stick-up-the-butt therapy, eh? Since Tsuna removed it, does that mean…he tops? **yamiatemyugi **Yes! I can't wait until the two have a civilized conversation with each other! Hehe. **Garnet013 **She's my little stalker now. I love her so much, lmao. Maybe I'll challenge you one day. For now…I have someone in mind. Hehe.

**chapter ten has **awkward moments and misunderstandings

They were _really_ fucking cozy.

And he was wondering, really, to what extent did Sawada's boundaries go? After all, they'd all known each other for a month and a half, and this Enma-kid – someone who Sawada constantly texted on the phone with during their free period – was the spitting image of Tsunayoshi Sawada. Sort of.

Not really.

And probably Haru's current obsession with homosexuality was driving him insane. In order to assure that he was knowledgeable in all regions of his education (and he was _so_ not doing it before she got on the unhealthy faggot-binge of hers, he swore!), there was apparently a dominant and submissive when it came to a gay relationship. Obviously when it came to his best friend and the Tenth (again, he was only using an example. The mere thought of his best friend s-sexually—with Sawada of course—was just…just…_ugh_.), the baseball idiot would be dominant. And Tsuna would be submissive.

However, that wasn't the case when it came to both brunet and redhead. Yamamoto and he were in the middle of an argument, debating over the finer things in life (if basketball was better than baseball, and fuck yes, it really was) before a shimmer appeared in brown eyes.

His stomach twisted in concern, reminiscing over the grimness of his best friend's expression while luckily, Sawada was lost in his own thoughts.

"I wanna talk to you," said the baseball idiot promptly. "It's something important."

"You fucking moron, we're not going to do it right here." Of course Hayato was more serious of the subject, very aware that they were in public, and whenever Yamamoto wanted a serious talk with him, it was always about certain _feelings_ the homo had for him.

Yamamoto gave him this smile; one that the baseball idiot probably didn't realize, but was easily readable. He wanted to say something, but obviously couldn't. Not that it mattered. They suddenly looked over when they heard Sawada yelp, only to find a small little redhead nestled tight to the brunet's chest. Like Hayato had simply told him when the kid stared, he looked very…tiny.

And he wasn't willing to admit it aloud, but he was a tad bit concerned for him, too. He'd done a lot of research over the past couple years on useless crap and knew really well when a person was bullied. Sawada himself hadn't been harassed lately, but it was mostly because G would pick him up straight after school. At the mention of his current guardian and ex-brother-in-law, he scrunched his nose. _That_ redhead had a certain way of getting on his nerves. Despite not being abused _physically_, Hayato was ready to point out that verbal abuse also did a lot to one's self esteem.

Not that he cared.

Oh fuck no, if anyone thought for one second he was concerned about the Tenth (a nickname he'd gotten rather smitten with because literally, Tsuna Sawada was the _tenth_ person Yamamoto casually called by their first name. Haru was the first, but they'd technically known each other since middle school)'s wellbeing, then that would seem like he actually cared for the _Tenth_!

And he didn't!

Sort of.

He was getting used to having that annoying brat follow them around. Sawada alone was very tiny, scrawny and very short. His height was below average, something that bordered over a girl's height instead. However so was Giotto, a direct blood relative of the brunet, and the blond adult was a tad shorter than both redheaded G and his clipped group of friends. Another thing that Giotto and Sawada had in common was the fact they were both very slim. Lean, but Sawada normally had his head down, eyebrows furrowed like he wanted to say something but couldn't.

Hayato knew from firsthand experience that Giotto was the complete opposite. As a businessman, he fervently vocalized his opinion where he thought right, and G was a close second to the blonde's nature. Though it wasn't a shocker, of course. They were close business partners and he had the sickening pleasure of seeing the redhead victim to one of Giotto's kisses.

Nope, no sir-ee. He wasn't jealous at all. Obviously.

Because obviously, he wasn't gay.

Dammit to hell, he wasn't, despite the fact his best friend was very attracted to him, and the guy estrogen leaking from Sawada, who blatantly displayed dominance in front of the _tiny_ redheaded Enma. Enma, whose brilliant smile would have made girls with little boy-complexes swoon. Who…who looked tiny under that thing he called a sweatshirt, and tiny hand that now gripped Sawada's like his life depended on it.

They would lean into each other, and it hadn't even been five _fucking_ minutes since the kid got off the train. Sawada submitted into a tender role, and despite the fact there was only a vague height difference between them, the brunet gingerly soothed his apparent boyfriend.

Which…kinda bruised his ego. And his pride. And every test-fucking-osterone-ridden part of his body felt embarrassed. Obviously they were a couple. And obviously, Hayato had overreacted like it was nothing. Now…Yamamoto would shove it in his face and he would have to live with the burning shame that he'd misjudged Sawada.

And he got jealous when he had a girlfriend. Fuck, he wasn't _allowed_ to get jealous when it came to his best friend. Who was a _guy_. Be that as it may, he couldn't give two-shits what a man did with another man (after all, G was already categorized as bi, and Giotto was probably the reason why), but…it was Yamamoto. He was more relieved than happy for Sawada and Enma, _true_, but what they had and what Yamamoto wanted were two separate things.

Then again, it sorta felt pretty damn personal with what that redhead said next as they ventured toward the steps to the bus that would take them back to Namimori.

"Birthday. _Birthday!_" He kept repeating the word, mind running wild with the thought as Sawada innocently sat there in the train, thigh pressed against Enma's with neon heart signs whirling above them. Metaphorically speaking, of course. But he couldn't help feeling offended that the guy - who he sucked up his pride to admit he was getting used to, and allowed to meet his girlfriend (who drive him to hell kind of insane and back), who he actually missed the days where his pills would fuck his mind up so their war of wits could continue – forgot to mention that his _birthday_ was today!

"Technically it's tomorrow," squeaked Sawada. The nerve of that kid. Suddenly the brunet's attention snapped elsewhere, and following his gaze, Hayato found the teenager instantly perking as Enma smiled. They leaned into each other even more, though awkwardly, and Hayato could only suspect that the brunet was feeling more self-conscious now that the cat was out of the bag.

"He'll be seventeen," murmured the redhead softly. "Erm, Shitopi-chan sends her love."

Somehow that apparently wasn't comforting. Sawada paled gracefully, grimace spread across his lips, but said nothing of it. With the new irritation ruffling the hotheaded teenager's feathers, he decided to press on this. "What's wrong with this 'Shitopi-chan'?"

"Nothing." Apparently he had done a good job with a threatening tone. Enma was wincing like the first few days Sawada would. Hayato would have smirked if he wasn't so pissed. "She's…" the soft tone fleeted away from the hesitant redhead. Eyebrows furrowing, Hayato visibly noticed Sawada move his hand and brush hair out of the redhead's eyes. Finally, a sigh escaped pale pink lips, and the redhead shrugged. "She's bald."

There was silence coming from both Yamamoto and he. Sawada didn't look very surprised (you would think he would after the initial shock of meeting Reborn-sensei) and Hayato and his best friend shared a glance.

Finally Sawada elaborated and he smiled nervously. "Um. You especially, Gokudera-kun, would think that she's…she's an UMA."

Like music to his ears. Immediately the silver-haired teenager tore away from his earlier anger, eyebrows arched as he leaned forward, closer to the brunet. If there were any signs of being pissed off, it was definitely that his newfound friend had been keeping this from him. "Do tell."

Enma on the other hand, looked very amused. Maybe even taken back a little.

Fervent pink spread across the brunet's face and he sighed a little, small smile replacing his embarrassment. Quickly, Sawada leaned forward, cupping Enma's ear like a true lovebird, and the whispering began. The redhead turned a little blue, and that was when Yamamoto had laughed.

"What?" hissed Hayato. He still felt flustered over Yamamoto's words a few minutes before Enma's arrival, and particularly didn't want to relive them. Something was changing. Like, the way things had been changing since that overgrown idiot turned eleven kind of changing. He…wasn't sure if he liked it yet. Testing the waters. Twitching before decided if it'd hurt. Swishing it around his mouth before deciding if it tasted good.

"I'm kinda jealous of them." Maybe he kinda thought the water was hot now. Maybe that left a good-sized bruise. He swallowed, but not a lot.

But instead of voicing his concern, Hayato stood firm near the pole whereas the two shorter boys were cozied up together. His eyes narrowed, careful to maneuver in an angle that although looked suspicious, would block the pair from hearing what he was about to say. And then, he bitterly sneered, "The hell. How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not gay?"

Yamamoto, the fucking idiot he was, only arched an eyebrow. He softly chuckled, hands shoved in his pockets and shrugged. "I've got a date. With another guy."

Well…what…which…well…well—"Fuck." Red exploded across the silver-haired teenager's face involuntarily, and he could feel his eyebrows widening in surprise. Quickly as his face unraveled, his features tightened and his testosterone (repeat, _not _estrogen) told his common sense to shove it up one, because Tsuna was not his date. "What do you mean?"

"Would you like to meet her sometime?" Fuck that fuckity shitting midget of a redhead.

The baseball idiot was first to turn, smile back on his face as he unintentionally leaned into Hayato due to the shift in the bus. "Shitopi-chan sounds nice. So you lived with Tsuna in Shimon for a while?"

"We've been best friends for eleven years," muttered Sawada softly. He smiled gently and pulled his hand away from Enma's long enough to wipe his palm against his jeans. Almost instantly, fingers were attached again, and Sawada reached over, carefully smoothing the hair near the shell of the redhead's ear.

"He offered his animal crackers and gave me a giraffe. They're my favorite animals." While Enma snorted, eyebrow arched wryly with a weak grin, Sawada had turned pink and shrugged. "His mother invited me over and from then on, we've been best friends."

Sawada muttered something inaudible under his breath, but Enma apparently heard. Yamamoto laughed at nothing particular, giddiness spread across his face. Hayato couldn't find one miserable fleck of skin in the tall teenager's demeanor.

A date.

Who wasn't the Tenth.

Who wasn't _him._ Which surprised him more? Yamamoto of course, had many suitors, but a guy, to say the least, was a little…unorthodox, wasn't it? They…J-Japan was a pretty reclusive place. Even heterosexuals didn't go very far to express themselves. Giotto-san was proof of that. Then again, the blond was technically Italian. Shouldn't it…be _illegal_ for teenagers to date?

You know, the same way you weren't permitted to drive without a license unless you actually had a permit?

There should be a permit for dating.

Fuck, that sounded so stupid in his head right now, but no other thought seemed logical. Oh _shitfuck,_ why, he lamented. Why was he thinking about this so hard? Even with the Tenth it wasn't like it was blatantly out there. Now that he thought about it, Yamamoto treated Tsuna like a little brother. An…injured bird, like when they were little. Kojirou.

Yamamoto had cared for the bird, tending to its broken wing before eventually growing fond of it. Back then, he remembered wryly, Hayato had slapped Yamamoto upside the head, jealous that a bird was taking his best friend's attention, and soulfully, Kojirou was let go to find his mother. Of course the days his best friend had spent just to get the bird to trust him was endless, just like it was with Sawada. Tender and careful.

But a date was a date. And fuck it, this was _official._ Despite what he dubbed _very_ blatant implications, both boys made it clear that they didn't like each other that way.

"Are you alright?"

"Wha?" Hayato snapped out of his thoughts as he realized that he was now standing near a bench where that Enma kid solely sat. He looked down to the redhead, disapproving silver eyebrow arched and frown spread across his lips. Enma returned it, but said nothing. "Where did everyone go?"

To make out, he wholesomely hoped. Instead, the redhead shrugged and wiped sweat off his brow. "Bathroom."

Apparently he'd been so preoccupied with his thoughts that he hadn't noticed they'd gotten off the bus and were now waiting for their best friends. Well, best friend and boyfriend. Glimmering green yes met the gleam of scarlet, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

On cue, Enma recoiled as if the very glance Hayato was giving him was enough to make him explode. Not far from it, grimly noted the silver-haired teenager. Finally the redhead seemed to settle, and he pressed a hand to his eye patch. "He doesn't look as jealous as I thought he would."

Yamamoto? Hayato blinked, eyebrow arched. "Do tell."

"He really does like it here." There was a hesitant smile that spread across the redhead's face. Almost…sad, actually. In the back of Hayato's mind, he wondered how badly Enma had it in Shimon. The eye patch and large sweatshirt made it obvious about his status, but he seemed kindhearted. "Tsuna talks about you guys a lot, and told me how he was really worried about you because of your feelings."

Hayato nodded, as if telling the other to go on, but he immediately felt his ears turn pink. Through psychoanalysis, he was _still_ trying to figure out where he stood with Yamamoto's feelings. Six months later he was wrestling his sanity, which cruelly wanted to confuse him. Yet six minutes alone was apparently enough time for this kid to know about his feelings. And fuck it. His mind was too dazed to defend himself.

"He asked me of this a few days ago…and maybe it's a little bit silly, but he wanted me to act like his boyfriend. Granted," Enma quickly added, "we haven't even acted like a lovey-dovey couple yet, but acting like your boyfriend is your best friend—erm, per se, best friend is your girlfriend, uh. Best friend is your—"

"Boyfriend," Hayato interjected. The redhead simply blushed, cheeks the same color as his hair as he stumbled over his speech again. Really, it was like this kid never spoke a day in his life.

"Tsuna asked me to pretend to be his boyfriend," whispered the shorter teenager. Enma's hands fell between his lap and he shivered, once again flinching, but Hayato didn't know why. And he kinda sorta pitied it. "He told me that Gokudera-kun was getting the wrong idea with you and him, Yamamoto-kun. He kind of babbled on and on about it one day…probably under his medication, complained about it. He said that Gokudera-kun couldn't get his feelings straight and I'd help."

"So Yamamoto told that midget about his fag-feelings?"

That certainly invoked an interesting look. "Wh…Wha—?"

"I'm Gokudera," Hayato replied grimly. Despite the wry look sparking in his eyes, the silver-haired teenager could feel red spiking up his neck and burning his ears.

He would have found it amusing, if he wasn't horribly embarrassed, that was, for the red that exploded across Enma's face. A soft groan passed through petite lips and a hand meshed through red hair. "Oops."

"I don't fucking like strangers digging through my damn personal life," Hayato growled. He was still pissed off this same kid interrupted Yamamoto before he could get any answers on this date. After all, just because Yamamoto had the balls to move on, it didn't mean Hayato approved of the date. Whoever that dipshit was.

The redhead flinched again as if ready to be punched. That was getting old, and at the same time Hayato felt a little guilty. After all, analysis of his own temper implied…many things. Less than a second later, Enma gave him a solid face, lips grimly tight. "You have a girlfriend, right?"

Hayato rolled his eyes. "Point?"

"Stop confusing him with these messages," the redhead muttered softly. His voice had gone hoarse…or had been. By now Hayato knew this kid spoke very softly and made nothing of it. "Or break up with your girlfriend and admit your feelings to Yamamoto-san."

"I'm not a fucking faggot," Hayato seethed.

"Then stop accusing Tsuna if he hasn't done anything wrong," Enma said flawlessly. He tilted his head to the side, and had it not been Hayato Gokudera that he was currently having a glaring contest with, others would have found it cute. "Don't you think if you're allowed to find a girlfriend, Yamamoto-kun is allowed to find a boyfriend?"

"Well fuck it, I don't _want_ him to!" The silver-haired teenager halted, stunned by his own words as his composure went limp.

Like a large kitten who just revealed itself as a tiny lion cub, the redhead raised his head, point flaring in his eyes much more bluntly like Tsuna on his medication.

Speechless at his own thought process, green eyes flickered as they comically mused: No. Tsuna wouldn't automatically be dominant. The submissive had a few tricks up his sleeve.

And had Enma not stupidly tripped, nose diving first into the pavement as Sawada and Yamamoto came back, Hayato would have thought this smartass redhead more than just a dipshit pansy that couldn't sit on his ass.

OoOoO

They were arguing.

Or something like that. Tsuna swallowed a large lump in his throat as he recognized the stance his silver-haired friend had taken in front of his best friend. While he _knew_ Gokudera-kun to probably smile one out of thirteen times of talking to him, this definitely wasn't a smiley Gokudera.

And he was scared for Enma's life. Yamamoto and he had just gotten back from the bathroom, chatting about nothing in particular as the taller teenager kept asking him what he wanted for his birthday. A party was in his future, apparently, and that wasn't all. His head hurt from the thought of it, and he quickly changed the subject.

After Enma found out for himself what an UMA apparently was, he hoped that his best friend wouldn't think his new friends were um, weird. But everybody was. Especially his teachers. While Reborn-sensei was delaying the inevitable, he was going to pay for it with lessons from hell. This he knew. And Lal Mirch-sensei was only calm when Colonnello-sensei was around. And the _reason_ why she was calm when Colonnello-sensei was around was simply because Lal Mirch-sensei directed all her irritation on _him._

Tsuna wasn't even going to get started on his _other_ teachers.

Suddenly he snapped out of his trance - from what Yamamoto was casually telling him about his love life, because his fake-boyfriend clumsily slid off the bench and nosedived into the curb—literally. A groan escaped the teenager's lips before he ran to his best friend, baseball player in tow before a hand went sympathetically around Enma.

"Are you okay?" he whispered softly. Concern fluttered through caramel chocolate eyes, and he pulled Enma back to his feet. A grimace graced his lips as he delicately removed the redhead's tiny hand.

Enma nodded. The brunet caught the way his best friend carefully looked up and flinched, automatically curling into Tsuna's grasp. This happened on occasion back in Shimon, Tsuna thought with concern.

Looking up, a frown delicately slipped across his face as brown eyes met green. Neither seemed too happy, but Tsuna's eyebrow of suspicion was matched with another. Which…made him more confused.

"Yikes," Yamamoto pitched in. A grin spread across his face, albeit pitying, and the teenager ripped part of his t-shirt off.

Enma looked panicked, eyes widening immediately as he shook his head. As he pinched his nose, one shaky hand reaching out to protest, his voice sounded nasally. "Y-You don't have to. W-We barely know each other."

"Ah?" That took Yamamoto by surprise. Scaring the poor redhead further (and Tsuna soothingly whispered in his ear that it was fine; Yamamoto knew what he was doing), a large hand cupped his face and the wadded rag was pressed against Enma's bleeding nose. In a weak attempt, Enma tried to push it away, but Tsuna simply took hold of that very same wad and held it tightly against his best friend's nose.

Same old Enma, smiled the brunet softly. The redhead was very particular on who took care of him because he didn't like debts. When debts weren't repaid, then…he shivered. There was a way of charging _interest._

"It's fine," Tsuna said soothingly. Though his best friend looked like he was close to tears by this point (a weakness from mild adephobia; aka fear of being touched), he helped the redhead up and wondered particularly why Gokudera-kun was giving him odd looks. "Yamamoto's a good guy, Enma. He did it of his own free will."

After an awkward staring contest, the redhead finally seemed to give in and held the rag on his own. Yamamoto let out a soft chuckle and seeing as Enma didn't flinch as he ruffled red hair, the baseball player smiled. "Just like Tsuna, eh?"

"Sort of," muttered the quieter teenager. He shivered lightly, and ducked his head. "Sorry, Yamamoto-kun."

"It's fine, haha." Tsuna let out a sigh of relief. Fortunately this time, Enma hesitantly smiled.

Enma's talking by himself was a sight to behold, Tsuna had to admit. He sympathized with the redhead, knowing full well that Enma was just clumsy. For years they were only friends with each other, and with what happened in Shimon for most of the time…well, he paled. Tsuna found himself frowning at the thought of his best friend leaving for Shimon Sunday night. That wasn't going to be pretty.

By the time Enma's nose was done bleeding, it was a quarter till six. Fortunately G wasn't on his case about it since Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun promised to watch him. Although by now and after a month worth of babysitting, Tsuna was sure he was capable in walking home himself, he agreed. Curfew was at 6:30, after all.

His hand grasped onto Enma's more on instinct than voluntarily. By now after a decade of knowing each other, it was simply something that was as frequent as breathing. Unfortunately while he tried to get Enma comfortable around his new friends, it meant that little time was put into acting romantic, and Tsuna hoped is doting over his best friend was enough to hint it wasn't time to be a lovely couple.

Enma stopped them once or twice, careful to brush the hair out of Tsuna's face and smiled softly before mouthing, "You're such a dork."

Tsuna laughed silently, despite the fact Yamamoto and Gokudera were in the middle of planning a party he wasn't aware of, and buried his head into red hair.

"How long have the two of you been dating?" said the baseball player curiously.

Red splattered across brunet cheeks. From the corner of his eye, he could see his friend, who was always a little blunter though shier, turn as red as his hair. The tinier kid fidgeted beside him, as if inching closer to hide behind Tsuna.

"We're not dating," Enma muttered softly. Tsuna's breath hitched. Crap, fuck, _shit._ Looking around in panic, he saw green eyes narrow irritably, but not surprised. "We…act like this so casually that people assume it. By now we kind of just shrug it off since it doesn't really matter."

Which was very true. Still, Tsuna felt the flush climb up his neck as their elbows touched. He'd never felt as comfortable around someone as he did Enma, and while debating his sexuality, and the redhead never shooed him off. Truth be told he never asked of Enma's sexuality _himself_, but he was sure the redhead would share with him.

"Really?" Fortunately the answer appeased a certain Yamamoto. Tsuna smiled awkwardly, reddening, and shrugged. "Tsuna, are you gay?"

Of course not. No. That wasn't a bold question at _all_! The hinges to the brunet's jaw dropped, and he felt his hand grow numb against Enma's grasp. Red exploded across his face like a paint bomb, and an incoherent stammer left his lips. His head felt dizzy, and he constantly reminded himself that was the second time he'd been asked that question.

Rather than avoid it and run, Enma in tow, the redhead squeezed his hand and gestured him forward.

"Yeah," Tsuna whispered softly. "Sorry."

Bah, this was awkward. But Yamamoto had always been one with direct approaches, so he should have seen it coming. Yet this very same Yamamoto was the one who commented he looked very cute, adorable, and often made him stand next to Kyoko in comparison. If he were straight, he'd probably be head-over-heels in love with the class president that got high grades and was loved by everyone. But…Kyoko wasn't a _guy_.

Red skewered his face again, but Yamamoto only laughed.

"No, haha. It's cool." Looking up and from the corner of his eye noting Enma's smile, Tsuna's eyes were met with the small grin spread across Yamamoto's face. Maybe even relief. "It's very cool."

Gokudera on the other hand, rolled his eyes and huffed. He twisted his foot, taking a lead compared to all of them, and Tsuna could hear him grumble something about, "Everyone on this fucking planet is gay."

From the corner of his eye, Tsuna saw the careful look Enma gave Gokudera, eyebrows pulled tensely together. Leaning into the redhead's scent as they were only five minutes away from the apartment complex, he rubbed his best friend's nose, question of what Gokudera-kun and his best friend had been talking about aching at his tongue.

Instead, the redhead simply looked up to the taller teenager, curiosity shimmering in scarlet red eyes. "Thanks. For the rag, I mean."

"Mm?" Yamamoto looked down and almost immediately, Enma had flinched behind him.

"It's fine," Tsuna blushed as a second hand nervously wrapped around his wrist. With a gentle nudge, his elbow touched his best friend's and he caught a bush of red hair blocking Enma's face. "Yamamoto's a good guy. You don't need to worry about a thing."

Those dreary red eyes nervously flickered again and he nodded. After all, Tsuna reminded himself with a little sheepishness, the redhead wasn't the type of person who would normally talk unless spoken to. Obviously now that he wasn't obligated to, there was no need for him to verbally voice his opinion. With a light squeeze, Tsuna gave in.

Still, he thought with gentle suspicion. Gokudera-kun would only be in a bad mood if he was provoked, and although Enma favored silence over talking, his voice was solid whenever he spoke. They were cut off from their thoughts when Yamamoto shared a laugh. Even said hothead stopped in front of them, eyebrow arched with impatience while scarlet and brown eyes exchanged glances before looking to the taller teen above them.

"Haha, sorry, sorry." Yamamoto bellowed softer, hand hugging his ribcage as he wiped a tear from his face. There was a sudden shift in Enma again, and Tsuna gave him a reassuring tug. "You're just…like Tsuna to the bone, haha."

At that, Tsuna could feel his face redden again. Although they were a little more _affectionate_ than usual because of a month away from each other, Yamamoto had a point. There were as many similarities between them as there were differences, and although Enma had a bit more backbone, Tsuna had more self-confidence because of…well, Yamamoto, actually.

"You guys are really close," commented the baseball player again. He grinned softly, head tilted to the side in approval and the pair nodded. "Are you going to come for fall break too, Kozato?"

They actually hadn't thought that far. The thought of Enma coming for fall break too, which was a full week in November that students had to themselves before cramming for December exams, sounded riveting. Tsuna blinked, carefully turning to his side where Enma stayed, height countering the brunet's. The unease churned in his stomach, and in mutual silence, they frowned.

"S'not a good idea," Enma whispered softly. He shook his head, both regrettably and sadly. "Even if it's fall break…"

"Yeah." Fall break was when Enma and his foster siblings were together; one whole week. Because the age of all of them were so different, save Enma and Shitt P., they normally didn't see each other. However it was the time where his best friend would stay with him for a week. Like…like brothers, Tsuna thought to himself with a small smile. It was fun having the redhead over at his house for a week straight.

Giotto probably wouldn't allow it, though. Even if they were currently on good terms with each other – or rather, going from awkward strangers to somewhat smitten acquaintances – he didn't want to push his luck. Enma had also saved the money right after he'd gotten the okay from his brother. Tickets in November would be hard to come by (since many Americans thought it'd be appealing to celebrate the founding of their nation _in a different country_), and Tsuna himself got _jumped_ while coming to Namimori. That should have been hint enough!

And his math scores. A groan left the poor brunet's throat.

Reborn-sensei would _murder_ him. Even if he wanted _minimal_ meetings with the tall, sadistic teacher outside of school, he knew he would die in one of two ways: a pencil "missing" the wall behind them and piercing his chest, or by that green gun that only _looked_ like a toy.

"I want you to come for Christmas," Tsuna said finally. He stood in front of Enma, hands loosening for a second as if proving his point and tilted his head to the side. "We get two weeks off from school and the first set of exams will be over. I um, really want you to come."

Those red eyes with ruby gems crested in the middle blinked, head cutely tilting to the side. A smile graced the redhead's lips, hesitant as it may be, and he mumbled a "maybe" under his breath.

"And your birthday," Tsuna said. "January 2nd. Please?"

"Ah, Tsuna." Suddenly the brunet remembered they weren't alone and glowed with a pink blush yet again. True, it was always him persuading and talking to Enma rather than the other way around, but he'd grown so docile around baseball player and hothead the past month that he forgot all about it. "Generally we don't get back from break until the fifth, and since that's on a Saturday, we won't be back at school till the seventh."

He stared at the taller teenager in amazement. "Y-You memorized that?"

A sheepish smile spread across the baseball player's face, chuckles at his lips as he casually rubbed the back of his head. "So far I see nothing wrong with him. Really, Tsuna, I approve."

And to that Tsuna suddenly felt like daddy's little girl bringing her boyfriend home for said father's permission. It wasn't helping, however, that Enma's fingers were intertwined with his and the redhead was confused.

"I approve too," Enma muttered softly under his breath. On the bright side, Tsuna immediately noticed with relief, Enma was sinking into a better seas.

He smiled a little, awkwardly pulling his hand away to wipe the sweat off his palms before putting them in his sweatshirt pockets. Other than his strange habit of piling clothes when he was nervous, Enma called it his tendency to hide his hands when he was relieved. Fortunately that was another thing his best friend didn't mind, and they found themselves…by themselves.

"Where did Gokudera-kun go?" Tsuna blabbed. The second he did, two pairs of eyes landed on him. Two expressions had never looked the same yet so different in his life. Knowing that he'd probably said something bad and had no way to back it up, the brunet shut his mouth for the final time that evening and they continued their stroll in silence.

Until they got to Yamamoto Sushi, of course. Before the taller teenager had a chance to say anything, a tiny hand with three Band-Aids coiled around the pinky tugged on his sleeve.

Tsuna halted in fear he might be missing out on something, but Yamamoto simply matched his curiosity. He would have laughed at the way the brunet had to bend over like a true father so Enma could whisper something in his ear. If, you know, Enma wasn't whispering something in his ear. The edges of his lips readily curved into a smile, but stopped as Yamamoto's face twisted.

Red scattered across the baseball player's cheeks before a nervous laugh escaped his lips. They shared a glance before looking over to a confused Tsuna, and that was the end of it.

"Bye. Tsuna, we're definitely having a party for you tomorrow." Yamamoto flashed a mischievous grin, hand on the banner of his father's sushi bar, and narrowed his eyes. "Somehow, I'll convince Gokudera to buy you a birthday present – not that I think I _need_ to, actually."

"Ah. Erm." Flustered himself, the brunet's eyebrows furrowed. A shiver ran through his spine as he scratched the shell of his ear and followed the tall teenager's form before he was out of sight. Once that was established, his face contorted. "What was that?"

Enma met his confusion. "What do you mean?"

"It's just…the Enma I know doesn't normally speak so openly." A sigh escaped his lips, stiffness beaten. Instead, Tsuna gestured for them to continue. The apartment complex was only a block away. "Gosh, it's not like I don't _like_ it, it's just…I-I dunno, I don't l-like it."

This was enough to strike amusement across the redhead's face. He smiled crookedly, more out of his own clumsiness than spite, and shook his head. "Experimenting."

"Experimenting," Tsuna repeated. Enma got better grades than him in school; that was for sure. "Between two strangers?"

The expression dropped, eyebrows furrowing troublesomely as he shrugged one shoulder. "Yeah," he whispered softly. "I…I caught myself in a bind and wanted to see if I could fix things. It's not right to butt in though, is it?"

With a soft sigh, the brunet could only shrug. Time would tell. He still had his doubts about whether or not he said something _good_ to Gokudera-kun, but by the looks of the blush that spread across Yamamoto's face, there had to be some good news. And some mild cursing. Obviously, he thought with a wry roll of the eyes. That was one of Gokudera's strong points, after all.

"Do you want to visit Shimon…I…didn't think so." Enma smiled awkwardly to the horror fixated on his best friend's face, but they continued otherwise. By the time they really did make it to the Namimori Apartment Buildings, the sun was setting and it was fifteen minutes past his curfew.

"Are you going to the wedding?"

Enma nodded. Looks like they were going back to how they were before Giotto came into the picture.

"I think Giotto said something about not going. Or…Celeste….Dino…something around that." Tsuna frowned and tried to recall the conversation he had over three weeks ago. His memory was still fuzzy over the subject, but that was when Giotto started changing his attitude around him. They had short conversations now, normally debating over TV shows with Giotto childishly pouting if he didn't win.

"You'll have to do a lot of convincing then," muttered the redhead. He smiled weakly before they halted in front of the steps. Tsuna gulped and looked at his best friend from the corner of his eye. With less than an eyelash of hesitation, Enma creaked up the stairs, one foot after the other.

A sigh of relief left the brunet's throat and he hesitantly followed after. His hand latched onto the redhead's waist, and without stuttering why, he maneuvered his best friend so he didn't get his feet trapped into hapless holes in the steps.

"Um, yeah." Tsuna awkwardly shrugged as they made it up safely. A small smile spread across his face and he knocked the door. By a knock-and-a-half, the door opened with a deafening _whoosh_, and he had to keep himself from falling over as Enma yanked on his arm.

Another redhead was worriedly leering at him. "You have a cellphone."

"Lost track of time." Tsuna looked up, tediously shrugging it off as if it were nothing. Hopefully it would be. The last time something like this happened, Alaude kidnapped him and G and his brother were about to call the police.

G's eyes went from him to the other teenager before the scowl on his face loosened. Instead, he leaned into Enma with mild curiosity, eyes narrowed. "And he is…?"

"Enma. Enma Kozato." Tsuna wiggled his arm, wholesomely aware of the fact Enma was clinging onto it, and looked at him from the corner of his eye. "Eh—!" He clasped a hand over his mouth in hopes G wouldn't notice his surprise. Too late.

"Were you picked on again?" G's voice dropped an octave (if it could) as he turned his attention to the brunet.

Thankfully, the petite teenager shook his head. "Giotto said that he could stay for the weekend." From the corner of his eye, he could still see scarlet eyes lingering on the full redheaded Italian. Tsuna couldn't say anything. He turned pink at the thought of it. After all, he'd been smitten with G the first time they met, too.

"Cute," G muttered. In a way it reminded him of how earlier Gokudera gave Enma one look before calling him tiny.

In a matter of seconds, Enma was cowering behind Tsuna again. The brunet caught a glimpse of his best friend's face and found it redder than his hair.

"Where's he gonna sleep?" G arched an eyebrow.

"The couch pulls out, right?" Tsuna asked. In his own house Enma and he had slept in the same bed countless times. He'd…probably even say this was how G and Giotto must have acted at his age. "He and I can sleep together."

Apparently something in his words was enough to take G off guard. The elder redhead blinked, silence catching his tongue. His lips twisted crookedly before giving up and frowning. "And you're alright with that?"

"We sleep together all the time," Tsuna said simply. Looking over to his best friend, he could only blink in confusion at the intense gaze directed at his guardian. Suddenly his own words hammered through his mind and the brunet panicked, face as dark as Enma's. "I-I mean…we don't…_s…sleep_ together, we…we sleep together! I-I mean…wh-what people do when they're not touching a-and…"

"I got it." G broke into a smile, and suddenly the brunet felt Enma fidget beside him again. "I'll get you two something to eat. Hang tight. Yakisoba for you, kid, and…you? Erm, other kid?"

If there wasn't so little space behind them thanks to the shut door, Enma would have probably been at the stairs by now. Instead, Tsuna found himself worrying as redhead gazed at redhead and the decadent blush across the teenager's face fervently sprinkled pink against his ears. Enma buried his face into Tsuna's shoulder and mumbled something under his breath.

"H-He likes dumplings," Tsuna stammered. What was _up_ with his best friend?

G's expression softened from its usual cheekiness before another smile spread across his face. He ruffled the brunet's hair familiarly, eyes still on the other teenager, and chuckled softly. "Get settled in. We've got a long weekend, actually."

Without another word, the adult inched closer to the door, clumsily bumping shoulders with Enma before he made his leave. The pair didn't move until they were certain G hopped off the last step.

"Are you alright?"

"I…yeah." The redhead, however, looked like he was on fire. He'd answered in a croak and was stumbling while Tsuna guided him to the couch. "Sorry." With a soft plop, Enma was on the couch and Tsuna let out a sigh of relief.

For a second there, he was wondering if G was contagious. Enma was swelling with red, voice bubbly and clogged at the same time, and nervously fiddling with his backpack.

"He's my brother's best friend." He put a hand casually on the redhead's forehead, but apparently that was only enough to make him blush harder. "They've known each other as long as we have. Erm, I think." Now that he thought about it, was this like some big déjà vu? He'd already heard more than he wanted to about Giotto and G's relationship. Anymore talk about their apparently-_not_ love life made him shiver. "He's nice once you get to know him."

"Ah."

It was left at that. Apparently whatever Enma was thinking about, he didn't want to spill his guts, and the obvious fluster he'd experienced at the door was more embarrassing than fatal. Tsuna stood from the couch, casually dusting off his pants before gesturing to the bathroom.

"Is it okay if I go talk to Gokudera-kun a little bit? He seemed a little bit off since…" Since your arrival. But he didn't want to say _that._ Red scattered across Tsuna's cheeks as Enma caught onto what he was saying immediately and nodded. "Y-You can take a shower. Don't worry about it, really…Giotto has his own bathroom."

The redhead tilted his head to the side and gestured to the couch.

"We'll have to share." Tsuna shrugged awkwardly. "The apartment only has one bedroom. It's made for one person, anyway. And since I'll probably be moving back with Mama and Iemitsu after school…yeah."

Scarlet eyes were burning holes into his skull. Before he knew it, Enma stood at his height with a gapless distance between them. "If you had the option, would you stay with your brother for the rest of high school?"

His thoughts froze. Mind process slowing greatly, Tsuna found the nervous smile on his face disappearing as he seriously considered that thought. W-Was it possible? Yeah…they were making process, but he wouldn't consider still sleeping on the couch part of it. Giotto was kinder to him, but that didn't mean much…anything.

A-And it was a one-person apartment. They were here for a month, and Giotto still nagged him about not feeling cozy in the household once in a while, but…erm…

"Gokudera-kun," stammered the brunet quietly. He gestured toward the door, one hand weakly over his shoulder before turning around. "Y-Yeah."

"It was just a thought," Enma called after him softly.

Without another word, Tsuna shut the door behind him and nervously skid down the stairs, avoiding creaky steps as he landed. L…Living with Giotto was already awkward enough, he decided.

God, what was _wrong_ with him? Brown eyes rolled in the dusk, one hand squeezing his phone gingerly as Reborn-sensei's torturous voice inside his head decided to list off all his flaws. He…w-was attracted to him. To his _brother._ Tsuna supposed…that yeah, he thought Giotto was…p-pretty.

And handsome. And very drop-dead gorgeous; something he'd been saying since the first day they knew each other. Days of September replayed in his head; particularly the second time Giotto confronted them and decided they should get to know each other. By now it was more than obvious the brunet was shy; not speaking unless convinced to, and Giotto had noticed that instantly.

They…weren't just two strangers living together at that point. The blond had been patient with him, analyzing all that was Tsuna Sawada, before molding his own personality around that. Tsuna was appreciative, and they were getting into compromises now. Sort of. Living with that for more than just nine months?

He wasn't ready! Of course not! Why would Enma even _suggest_ living with Giotto would be alright?

Wh…Why couldn't he face his best friend and simply say, "Of course not."?

He had a sneaking suspicion it was just like how Gokudera-kun couldn't admit he was curious about Yamamoto's feelings.

Speaking of the hotheaded, smoldering green eyes were gnawing at him a minute or so after he knocked the door. Tsuna gulped, taking a step back. He wondered if his relationship with _this_ half-Italian would ever change.

"Are you alright?" he whispered softly. In the long run, it would get him killed even looking Gokudera in the eye, but there was no other choice. "It's just me."

Gokudera's eyes lingered at his form for a moment before he opened the door wider. He left the brunet standing in favor of going to the fridge, and Tsuna invited himself in.

The taller teenager held up a beer can, but Tsuna immediately shook his head. He looked around like he always did whenever visiting while Yamamoto was at baseball practice. Everything was the same as Giotto's apartment, aside from the bathroom being where the kitchen was. Shelves upon shelves with countless books littered the walls, and papers covered most of the floor. Gokudera himself had his glasses on, and Tsuna assumed he'd unraveled the second he got home.

"The person Yamamoto asked out is on the kendo team," said Tsuna. He'd be lying if he didn't say he wasn't digging his own grave. "Mochida-senpai. Actually, I think Mochida-senpai may have asked him out."

The other teenager kept silent. He brushed past Tsuna, half a can of beer down his throat before he plopped onto the couch.

Tsuna shivered, suddenly feeling a chill in the air as his eyes never left the apathetic hothead. Why was he doing this? "I just…I mean…I'm kind of happy for him, aren't you?"

He caught his breath when those eyes narrowed at him, and ducked his head. What was he thinking? C-Coming over and trying to cheer Gokudera-kun up. Enma was still over at his apartment! …Giotto's apartment. He blinked. Wait, what?

"Tenth." There was a dense huskiness in the silver-haired teenager's tone. Tsuna peered up from his hair, curious to the raised eyebrow given to him, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Help me out with an experiment."

Experiment. Experiment, experiment, experiment. He was hearing that word a bit too much today. All…twice. He nodded slowly. "Y…Yeah?"

With one slow blink, the brunet missed what was going on around him. Alcohol filled his nostrils and he took a step back, only to look up and hit his forehead to a pair of glasses.

Gokudera-kun was above him. "Kiss me and tell me if I'm gay."

OoOoO

This was weird.

All of it was weird.

Scarlet eyes closed as shampoo slid down red eyelashes, and a soft shiver left Enma's body. His head was spinning from today's events and…Koyo's words before he came. Suddenly feeling small again – or "tiny", if he was quoting Gokudera-kun – and waited for the soap to slide down his body.

Don't bother coming back.

Red eyebrows furrowed and he forcefully turned the nozzle. He did everything that would normally distract him – count to a hundred at a crap pace, count sheep, sing the most obnoxiously catchy songs he could – but Koyo's smirk was still fresh on his mind.

Like sprinkling salt on an open wound, mused the redhead. He truly…completely…_totally_ wanted to come by for fall break. But even as a highschooler, it was obvious Tsuna would have to settle in. And this…Giotto. A soft chuckle escaped Enma's lips and he wiped away steam against the bathroom mirror. Tsuna had told him stories, and it was from that husky mutter that the redhead knew very well his best friend was under medication.

Painkillers were their best friends, and Tsuna had little tolerance for them. Instead while they worked, they would mess up his head and he'd be spewing random things that wouldn't survive in his brain for the rest of the night. Giotto couldn't drive was something that was mentioned a lot. The foundation of this house was highly unstable. Enma saw that for himself.

Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun were getting on his nerves, apparently. His brunet best friend would have even enjoyed sitting there watch them dry-hump rather than little talks and strained smiles on Yamamoto-kun's face. And personally the redhead had ruined Tsuna's scheming.

That thought in mind, Enma cursed as he realized he left both a change of pajama clothes and towel in his bag on the couch. Stupid Enma, he thought to himself. A soft sigh left his lips. Carefully shutting the door behind him, the redhead shivered at cool air and shifted in his nudity.

Fortunately no one was here. He trekked toward the couch, conscious of his lack of clothes, and shivered again. It was an accident, really, to expose the truth to Gokudera-kun. He thought it was Yamamoto-kun, originally, since Tsuna barely pointed to them during introductions.

It was easy for him. There was only one Enma, and there were two really tall people in front of them. Perhaps he lost his temper (okay, he _did_ lose his temper) when it came to Gokudera-kun; lashing it out on the boy after awkwardly getting kicked out of the house, but…he couldn't help it.

And G—

_Shit._ The door was unlocking.

Enma scurried, eyes widening in horror as he tried to find his towel. Shit, shit, shit! Where was it? H-He could have sworn it was sitting right here—

"Hey, you guys already go to bed? It's like barely eight o'clock."

Oh shit.

"Finally," Enma whispered under his breath. The red groped his ears as he yanked the towel, but unfortunately tumbled back and hit his head in the coffee table with a horrible bang. O-Ow…

Whatever was in G's hands dropped in an instant and he shut the door behind him. "Hey, what's going on?"

He was still naked. Crap, crap, crap! Enma scurried to his feet, blinking through livid stars. The bump was starting to swell, and his bruised eye stung as tears formed against his orbs.

Unfortunately the poor redhead tripped again, somehow ending with his foot caught in the couch cushion. A whimper escaped his throat.

"Shit," breathed the adult.

Enma couldn't see him, but the lights quickly came on and he felt his cheeks burn. Loser Enma, indeed. Almost immediately, he felt the adult drag him away from the cushions and yelped when his foot became his again.

"Oh, uh." That low voice suddenly sounded startled, and through his meshed hair and good eye, Enma made out the pink sparkling a tattooed cheek. He was lifted to his feet and pushed back onto the couch by a callused hand. The same one pressed against his forehead, brushing away the hair enough for Enma to see the red staining G-san's cheeks.

He looked away for a second, free hand grappling the towel sprawled on the ground, and wrapped it securely around the boy's ears.

Say something. Say _thank you._ But he couldn't. His heart was exploding in his chest and cheeks were redder than their hair combined. A shiver ran through him again; a sign of a cold. G touched his bad eye and instantly, the poor teenager recoiled.

"I leave for twenty minutes and you guys make a mess out of things. Shit, I think your wound's reopened." G bit his lip and leaned closer.

Enma leaned back, body shaking in nervousness and fluster as two elegant ruby eyes studied his.

"Hold still – I won't hurt you." Long, rocky fingers rubbed against the side of his face and he shivered. Instinctively he pushed the adult away, towel coiling around most his body in hopes to cover most of his legs. G seemed to mistake it as something else. "Shy one, eh? Cute."

"You're flirting with little kids?"_ Stai flirtando con bambini piccoli._ That was Italian.

Enma stiffened at the touch, just as it pulled away and the amusement on G's face twisted with a roll of his eyes. "Shouldn't you be at work?" _Non dovresti essere al lavoro?_ More Italian.

The teenager cocooned himself. Peering through his hair, the sight of blond caught his attention and he pursed his lips. That was…Tsuna's hair. Unruly, hard to manage, but very fitting. Along with alluring, fiery eyes… Wow.

This was Giotto. Enma blinked through his fluster, and the blond looked down. "He's still naked. And I think he understands what we're saying."

The poor teenager flinched for two reasons. For both, he slid off the couch and took his luggage behind him, but Giotto blocked him. Gently, two much daintier hands slid the large towel off his small shoulders and wrapped them around his waist.

"His eye is bleeding," G commented.

"Lui è nudo," Giotto responded firmly. _He's naked._ Had he not already done a double check, Enma would have buried his head in the tall blond's chest thinking it was Tsuna. Of course he was still naked! A soft chuckle left the blond's throat before he shook his head and pulled Enma's attention closer. "Cozart."

Co…Enma blinked.

"Sapete chi è Cozart?"

Before he had the chance to process what the fluent Italian asked him, there was a hand wrapped firmly around his neck. Enma squeaked and resisted the urge to squirm as G pressed up against him. "Perché tu lo chiedi?"

"Ha l'aria proprio come lui." What were they talking about? Enma struggled to make out the words, but found that he couldn't. Not…with that breath on his ear. Suddenly those fiery eyes softened, fingers running through jagged red bristles as if studying him, and pulled away. "Spiacente."

"This is the friend your brother said would be visiting," G finally said. He switched to Japanese, and Enma felt more than saw the taller redhead arch an eyebrow.

Giotto's eyes flickered. "Did he say it was going to be _this_ weeke—?"

"VOIIII!"

Enma winced and clasped hands on his ears. Neither adult seemed to care. Instead, he caught the dry roll of G's eyes before a sigh escaped the adult's lips.

"You know I don't like your cousin."

"You make it sound like a bad thing that I invited him," Giotto placed a hand on his chest in mock offense.

G simply held Enma tighter. "It's only worse when he brings that stupid sharky boyfriend with him!"

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

So you all've been wondering how the _Varia_ fit into this story. Or if they'll be in it at all and I have to say: yes. Yes they are. Anyway, it was a little hard trying to find a means to Enma's personality regarding the manga and everything. Just so you know…Guys, lay off. It was bound to happen sooner or later, we're all pissed, and what's griping gonna do? Coz they're still having mindblowing sex in my stories. Just…not this one.

G x Enma. If you didn't see that coming then…wow. That couple will be in this story as well, and yes, you shall deal with it. Hehe. This is probably my final update (most likely, so please do not beg for more in my ample time) because of my busy schedule starting next week, and I've got one headsup for you guys. I've got a handful of story ideas, none G27, unfortunately, but all you will like. Any of you that have read **AKA: My Bad**, will be glad to know that I've got an epic Cozart x Giotto story in the works. Longer than this story, actually. That, piled with some good ol Bel x Fran and R27, is not that bad of a deal. We'll see how things work out once I settle into my new schedule then.

Until then…! I'm sleeping.

**PS: copycat-capycot. You. Yes you. Review number 401. It's a stretch, so help her out, guys! **


	11. trash and sharks

**lemonlimediddies **Yes he does! Enjoy the next chapter! **Breathless02 **Well. Just a few words then. GET OVER IT AND GO BACK TO FANNING G27. I'll write some 2700 oneshots in the future, most likely. And you can get your frustrations out over there. Hehehe. **Ophianara Blade **Yay economics and physics. I gotta talk about that with my counselor before deciding on my classes this year. c: **Nimrodo **Right. Good luck with that. :B Oh silly. **milostudio **That's what I love about them. xD I wanted to make sure that they have…no aspect of what being lovey dovey is like, and kinda already do it. I love Ryohei a lot, but I don't want him anywhere near Yamamoto in this story unless it's for sports. lmao. **luna faith90 **I'm glad you like it so far! Enjoy the next update! **An anonymous Fangirl **You're welcome. And yeah, characterization is really important to me. And…no. But that's in the plot later. c': **Sakura0Miyuki0 **Um. Squalo and Xanxus? **xxxKimi-chan **I'm not finished. But at the moment, I'll be incredibly busy and writing fanfiction – no matter how fast or slow my updates – isn't my top priority. Getting into college is. c': And I will leave you to guess how old I am. **Cattwo28 **Haha, but wasn't it absolutely adorable? And idk. I'm incredibly hungry right now and need something to eat. And yes, she has been reading Pennies far before you found it, actually. xD Mochida was in the first episode only, but I don't like OCs. So I brought him back instead. And I'll enjoy it. c': And I'm not gonna lie. This review doesn't fit my screen. But I think hers is fatter than yours. xD; **ToniChanLovesCookies **Lmao. G and Enma are actually my most OOC characters in the story. xD G, because his maturity was really motivated by the corruption of mafia, and now is more laid back, and Enma because… I love him. On the side note:

This was horrible. Omigod, what had he gotten himself into? Tsuna gulped, harshly swallowing the goop keeping him from talking. Wait…no. That…wasn't why he wasn't talking. Crap, fuck, _shit._

"It's just one little kiss," Gokudera-kun grumbled softly.

"I-I'd rather…run!" With a twist of his foot, the brunet brusquely made a mad dash out the door. No such look. Gokudera had better legs than him.

"One little kiss, dammit!" The silver-haired teenager seethed and ran after him.

"B-But…G-Gah!" How did he get _into _this?

Little did either know, the curtains were pulled and three figures stood at the balcony. G snorted. "Hayato needs to get his priorities straight."

There was a chorus of nods between all of them. In less than a second, one figure stomped up the stairs (in the process crushing at least three steps) before Squalo knocked on the window. "VOIII! What the hell, Giotto? IS THIS HOW YOU KEEP YOUR FUCKING KIDS IN LINE?"

The blond tilted his head curiously, but could only shrug. Slowly, he rubbed his chin, and cringed when Tsuna tripped over a measly rock. "Eh, Gaspare? Weren't we like this when we were kids? This is how I turned you gay, right?"

And thus, the rest of the night was filled with beer, one hapless boy who loved the number twenty-seven, and two grown men debating how one of them lost their virginity to the other. ("It was before my fucking wedding with Bianchi!" "No, no…I took your virginity before graduation, I think. Then you took mine.")

…Yes. It made me laugh. **Polar Pig **Haha, everyone seems to. Now I'm starting to wonder what would happen if he was under Viagra. xD And I'm glad you like it so much. C: **-Optomistic Emo Keptomaniac- **This is a G27 story though, silly. You shall get over it. And I absolutely hate 5927, actually. I'll write snippets, but don't expect a lot from me in that department. xD **StaplerPrincessofDoom **Haha, that's what makes him so cute. But I'll be honest: Tsuna was probably one of my most hated characters until Enma came along. It's not fun when there's a prominent submissive and everyone – even the girls, in some cases – tops him. I didn't like him at all. xD So even now, I build 2700 on a psychological standpoint rather than the cold hard facts, and it works. But don't get me wrong. Submissive!Tsuna is good for a lot of people…just not me. Too uke. :B** HikariYamino **Crack ftw? **HetChrome **I love him so much. Dear god, you have no idea. xD I wanted to put him in the worst situation possible and make it so bad that people just went "Aw…" and couldn't bear to read it coz it's too cute but too sad. c': **Metamorcy **Haha. Well said. **Mistee **Aw, how sweet. xD G x Tsuna is more of a brother thing than anything. I had a crack idea toward the middle of what we have right now before shoving it aside. It'd work out splendidly, but…I didn't want to. lmao. **FaerieDemon **he was only mentioned once. xD I just have a fetish for him, for some strange reason. And you're welcome. I spent ten whole chapters making G likable just so everyone would want him to end up with someone. And look – I'm better at advertising than I thought I was. c: **skitty-nya **GOO. I didn't get that until the second time I read it. **Lenah-1827 **Spill Canvas is one of my favorite bands. xD and once I got your review, I kept telling myself I'd get around to listening to the songs, but haven't yet. So I'll do that in a little bit. Okay, the translators aren't going to get it right, because they're generic. They don't go for slang or anything. So basically, the conversation goes as: "Mm, why do you feel the need to handcuff me whenever we fuck?" "For someone who's complaining, you're still smiling." "You look adorable when you smile." "Is someone at the door?" "No." Something like that. it's been too long – I don't remember. **Mari-chan **You're fine. Enjoy the next chapter! c': **Seriyuu **You'll have to see!~ **Kanberry **I am the only one that didn't catch that. And I thought the pairing up. How sad, lmao. **sender unknown **GO TO THE KHR KINK MEME, PAGE 26-ISH, AND LOOK AT THE REALLY LONG ANON POST. I HAVE FILLED OUT A REQUEST WHERE HDW!TSUNA BJ'S, BRANDS, AND BURNS HIM SENSELESSLY. AND HIS EXACT WORDS ARE, "NOW, I SHALL FUCK ENMA-KUN AS IF I WERE TO DIE." Or something like that. I don't remember. But there's a pretty picture made by the OP!Anon. :D **Mirriox **I don't. xD I'm debating whether or not to fanservice you guys later on with G x 00 smut. And G27 is very gradual. They're just now starting to act like brothers, silly. **C h r o m a TIXX **Alrighty then. c': **The RPers HELL group.**Haha, thanks. C': Enjoy the next chapter! **SoulReaper Rukia **So you know the only reason why I'm not writing an entire script for that is because I've yet to hike the rating up to M, right? And I don't plan to. Pooie. xD **5minutes-to-midnight **The R27 story I have in mind is very, very cute. c': **y0u **He's so ridiculously cute. I love him. xD **Chiri-tan **YOU ARE ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO REMEMBERS HE WAS IN THE FIRST EPISODE. KUDOS. And you'll have to wait and see. c': **KitsuneDango **Right-o then. c': But you'll have to find that in another story. This is G27~ **garnet013 **One of my fans/friends, I apparently converted her RL friend into a fan of a couple from one of my other stories. It was…really cool, actually. xD **rsxus **You'll have to wait. Maybe even in this chapter. Teehee. Or not. I'm totally not telling the truth right now. :D **xRynnX **You'll have to wait and see! And Enma's just too adorable and defenseless to do anything. D: **Rukiyo **Aw, thanks! Enjoy the next chapter! **kitsune sakisage **I'm glad you like it, enjoy the next chapter! **kudari-chan **I totally don't know you. I toootally don't. Not at all. And I'm not a fan of incest much; this was all by obligation. Hehe. **J.K.F.R.N. **Enjoy the next chapter! **Elledina **I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next chapter! **Serap **You're so sweet! Enjoy the next chapter! **copycat-capycot HONEY YOU WIN THIS ROUND AGAINST CATWO28. …AGAIN. STEP IT UP, OTHER COMPETITOR. MY FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Well, it's highly implied that while I may not be entirely gay, I am certainly gay for Yamamoto; thus, I am Yamamoto-sexual, yes?" I LOVED THAT SO MUCH. And I'm actually leaving all of the cliché stuff out of here and trying to make it unique, but all-in-all very fluffy. So if Giotto and Tsuna ever share the same bed, they won't be spooning anytime soon, Tsuna won't have a freak accident, and they won't be ridden with guilt over the entire thing. xD And yes. That was what I meant by wanting to murder me. Btw, I hope you don't mind this at all, but I'm not writing you anything for the success of filling 401. xD; I'm hoping, actually, if you'd let me draw/color/post a few pictures from this story itself. If you don't like the gift, just tell me, and I shall write something instead. Oh, and woman? CHECK YOUR GOD DAMN FF INBOX. qqsha **Haha, maybe it'll get answered in this chapter. Maybe it won't. You'll just have to wait and see!~ And trust me, I do too. C: **VongolaPrimo27 **It'll be very long. Past twenty, methinks. My longest story ever would probably only be about 19 chapters. xD Of course, it was over 100K long, too. o.O **Fire Princess 21 **Haha, good point. copycat-capycot and cattwo28 wear me out. xD

**chapter eleven has **trash and sharks.

He'd done a lot of stupid things in his time. Actually, more than stupid. _Beyond_ stupid, just so that someone at school would harass him far less than they already did for that one day. At first it seemed like the only way to make sure they would smirk and leave him alone for the day, before around the time he was eleven and realized it only made them think it was okay to do. So yeah, it seemed pretty stupid. By the time he turned twelve Tsuna realized his mistakes and kept his mouth shut. They knew he was afraid of them. They knew Enma was even more afraid and he was trying to get them back to his house – _sanctuary. _

So of course, that was four years ago.

Caramel brown eyes looked up, absolutely surprised as the glasses hit his forehead again. A trembling hand was brought up – his, most likely – and finally Gokudera-kun was lightly pushed away before he ventured toward the door as his only escape route, back turned to his exit. "Ah….G-Gokudera-kun….that's…I…erm…"

Green eyes stared at him warily and pushed his glasses up. If it weren't for the fact Tsuna was freaking out for his life (and only a smidge scared), he would have noted that just like his school uniform, Gokudera-kun managed to make looking like a…a bad boy geek? His lips twisted, sweat dripping down his forehead as Gokudera – rather soberly, actually – walked up to him and stood parallel to the poor brunet.

"You're scared of me," said the hotheaded teenager. His tone was a matter-of-fact, and maybe…just maybe Gokudera wasn't as drunk as Tsuna thought he was.

But what the hell, that was even _more_ terrifying – a _sober_ Gokudera just…just asked him to make out with him!

"No...," the brunet said slowly – weakly. His hand clutched the door handle, neck against the wood and entire body shaking. He wasn't as scared as he was nervous, and by now he knew how to _trust_ Gokudera a little bit…maybe…sorta… A sigh escaped his lips, eyes squeezing shut as he reminded himself yet again: his back was against the wall. "Please don't touch me."

Gokudera fell silent. Brown eyes tentatively opening, they met with green and found themselves in a bind. "What do you like about me, honestly?"

"H-Honestly?" Tsuna squeaked, taken aback by the question, but couldn't help the ten gazillion things running around in his head. Pushing off the door, he hesitantly made a stride toward the couch. When their eyes met again, he only gave it a second or two of thought before plopping carefully in the middle. Gokudera-kun stayed where he was at.

"Talk." It was a light demand, but nevertheless he was flinching because of it.

Tsuna fumbled with his sweatshirt, body growing five degrees colder under such a chilling gaze. His mind raced with all of the possibilities; of what he could tell Gokudera-kun. Even if he wouldn't admit it, the fact remained that he was jealous. A frown fell across the brunet's lips, hands clasping together as Yamamoto's words passed through his mind again.

Shy. Gokudera-kun was very shy, and hid it behind his temper. That was what Yamamoto had said. Not only that, he thought with a roll of his eyes, Gokudera-kun apparently had a very thick Italian accent when he was little, so Yamamoto couldn't even understand him. Obviously now that wasn't the case, and although he'd never heard the silver-haired teenager talk in his native language, he had a feeling Gokudera was very fluent.

"Y-You're stubborn," Tsuna finally blurted flatly. Suddenly he shook his head, pulse quickening even if all the other teenager did was raise an eyebrow. "But that also means that you're hardheaded—no! I-I mean, it just…what it really means is…you're passionate. Driven to whatever you want to accomplish whether it's to prove a point or to um, save the world or something."

Fortunately that was enough to satisfy him. Gokudera-kun curtly nodded and urged for him to continue.

"You're very…_proud—_and that's all I mean it as," the brunet responded steadily. He wanted to make this as quaint as possible between them. "Headstrong. Which goes along with being passionate about what you do. You…You don't back down. And…I admire that a lot about you. Even if that means you can be a little pigheaded." Oh, crap.

A silence passed between them, eyes still on each other as Tsuna's doubled twice in size. The last part had slipped from his mouth by _accident_! "Care to elaborate?"

Gokudera-kun was seething through his teeth. Tsuna shoved both hands in his sweatshirt pockets and looked at him, trembling. "What did Enma talk to you about?"

"My sexuality." Plain and simple. He wished that this wasn't the subject for the entire night. "Elaborate, Sawada."

"I'm…I'm not really—"

"_Elaborate, dammit._"

"You're closed-minded," Tsuna seethed.

His eyebrows furrowed, frustration evident across his features, but he refused to look at Gokudera any longer with this explanation. A small smile spread across his face, a little scared, but Gokudera didn't say a thing. He wondered, really, if this was what one of their apparent "wars of wits" was actually like. According to a rather amused G, Tsuna had the mouth of a…a crocodile and snapped whenever Gokudera provoked him. Albeit he was still irritated even when acting calm (to outsiders), his frustration was still evident.

"Gokudera-kun…I've seen the way you act with Haru, and you're perfectly happy with each other. You've held hands and cuddled, and it's one of the only times I've ever seen you smile. B-But when it comes to Yamamoto, you think he's ogling you every chance he gets. But he's not. I-I've talked to him. He's happy for you." Brown eyes looked up hesitantly and noted there had been no reaction of any sort from the silver-haired teenager. "I'm n-not saying that you should go out with him. But…it can be stressful if you like someone and know for a fact that they're straight."

Not that he knew from experience. Suddenly realizing this, the brunet blinked yet again and went through his facts. He'd…never actually liked someone more than a friend. Enma as a brother, maybe, but that was it. It was by freak accident that he even realized his sexuality, and it was a little…astonishing to say the least. Enma had pointed it out.

Naito Longchamp, the new kid at Shimon in their second year of middle school, invited them out to go eat. Everyone thought he was annoying and ultimately, since Enma and Tsuna the only ones nice to him, he treated them to dinner. Before proceeding with telling them about his love life, how many girls he dated, and how many of them he scored with.

Somehow since Tsuna was sitting next to him and Enma was across from them, Longchamp had asked him why the hell they didn't have girlfriends. There was a silence, the only sound being Enma's soft bites of his hamburger. Tsuna sat there in shock, red to his ears while the other teenager stared at him intently, perverted grin spread across his face.

"Tsuna's gay," Enma suddenly said. And that was the end of it. Scarlet eyes looked back and forth between both boys, voice so barely audible that fortunately only their table could hear since the athletes were sitting nearly two booths away.

Longchamp's face dropped, curiosity on his face, and Tsuna panicked. "No, er, that's—" Absolutely flustered, Tsuna stood up from his seat before promptly sitting down, face as red as Enma's hair when the class rep looked over to them suspiciously. "I'm not—I mean—"

Somehow in his mind, the brunet couldn't think of what to say. Personally he was panicking more that other people would hear them than the claim itself, and Enma didn't seem to care. His eyes carried mischief, maybe a little confirmation _for_ him, and Tsuna gave up. He sat down, twisted one fry in his ketchup, and decided to think about it at home.

At the memory, Tsuna tried particularly hard to suppress his blush. Two minutes of stillness later (including Longchamp's excessive babbling), their new friend looked up, eyes teeming with curiosity before he asked loudly, "So! Sawada-chan, how do you do it between two guys anyway?"

Needless to say, that was the single most embarrassing moment in his _life. _

"And do you think it's fucking easy on _my_ side?" Crap. Tsuna snapped out of his memory and flinched at the sudden sneer projected in his general direction. Gokudera treaded three steps forward before halting, like he suddenly remembered something and planted his feet firmly in the ground. He jabbed his thumb at his chest, scowl dripping vehemently as he continued. "My fucking best friend – the faggot that I've looked up to for probably my entire life because of his confidence – is _gay_. For _me!_ At first, anyway. For five-fucking-god-shitty years, I've lost control to what he did. He doesn't fucking think I noticed him staring in the locker rooms, or the way he would blush whenever I touched him! When we were twelve, he had a fucking wet dream. About me! _Me!_ I moved here with my sister to get _away_ from our judgmental parents; to regain some goddamn _control!_ And he _ruins it all!_"

"That's harsh," Tsuna suddenly said, frown spreading across his face.

"No, it _isn't_!" Gokudera hissed, beer thrown aside, but he hadn't drunken more of it. "This _phase_ he's going through? It's batshit crazy, and I don't give a damn about it! In fact, I wish he would just hurry up, get over it, and stop! When we were thirteen, he _yelled_ at me for it! Out of everyone in this entire world, I probably trust that bastard more than my own girlfriend – and he _betrays _it with…with these _feelings_ he claims to have!"

"Harsh," the brunet said again. This time, he stood up, heart racing like it was in the middle of a triathlon, but it was Yamamoto they were talking about. It had nothing to do with his own love life, either. This was all because of Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto. "He's a good guy, a-and you know it! S-So is Haru! She was a good friend before you guys dated, too, weren't you?"

"But she's not fucking Yamamoto!" Gokudera lashed back. "Hearing _her_ laugh isn't just like a second skin to me! Watching _her_ act silly doesn't make me want to smile as much as I do for that fucking idiot! And quite frankly, I'd rather damn well be at one of his retarded baseball games than one of her stupid school plays, _ANY DAY." _

Harsh. Harsh, harsh, harsh. The word sang in Tsuna's ears, tingling to the very core as his jaw loosened. His entire body trembled at Gokudera's words, and the silver-haired teenager was _still_ freaking out about it. His knees gave out, and suddenly, the brunet found himself with his back pressed to the couch again. "Gokudera-kun—"

"Shut up," Gokudera hissed. Enamored by anger, his tone alone would have been enough to kill Tsuna. "You're just the same. _Tenth_, I don't get what he sees in that personality of yours. Too fucking nice, too considerate and jellyfish have more of a backbone than you do. I don't care what you say, and quite frankly, I wish the day you sprained your ankle, that you dropped dead, too."

A large lump gathered in Tsuna's throat. He looked up, ears swelling with what he had just heard. Gokudera suddenly cursed, muttered something under his breath, and picked up the beer can creating a puddle near his kitchen counter. Gathering all of his strength, the brunet stood up from his seat and slowly walked toward the door. He whirled around for a second, mouth opening as a thought passed through his head, and met eyes with Gokudera.

Green eyes flickered. "_What_?"

With that, Tsuna's mouth clamped shut. His lower lip quivered, teeth grinding behind them, and ducked his head. "I'll see you tomorrow."

No more words said, he made a low stride to the door and flipped the knob. There was a sharp intake of breath, and sudden steps. "Tenth, wait—"

Tsuna slammed the door behind him, numb to the bone with his eyebrows furrowed as he began the three-minute walk to the other side of the apartment complex.

You're also very, very, _very_ loyal to your friends, no matter what. Tsuna ran a hand through his hair, confidence deteriorating. Cheer up, he softly told himself. His best friend in the whole entire world was here to visit.

OoOoO

"He's a minor."

"Fuck—how long are you going to keep mentioning that?"

Giotto stared his best friend in the face, utterly amused, and grinned. He wasn't stupid. But G was easily provoked and it was certainly entertaining to see that color on the redhead's face. For as long as he remembered, G was the _twin_ to his charge. Hayato-kun was known for being ill-tempered, grouchy, and calculating. Through the years most of his temper faded, replaced with a sweet heart and high expectations for just about everyone he met.

But hell, if he was going to miss a chance to fluster his best friend-since-childhood, you were bloody well mistaken. The yell from Xanxus's annoying boyfriend – Squalo – had been from the parking lot on the other side of the apartment building.

G wasn't stupid, and neither was he. There was a possibility (well, matter of assumption and evidence to back up this assumption) that Xanxus had said something irritating, and Squalo was simply defending himself. Or he was mad that after a forty minute car ride with Giotto, the blond dashed off to his apartment at first sign of G's car in the Parking Lot B.

"Cute kid," Giotto decided instead. His amusement dropped slightly, a little troubled, and he rubbed his chin apologetically. "This might be an awkward sleeping arrangement."

"Go figure." G's eyes narrowed in amusement, lips twisted into an interested grimace. "You're calling _me_ the pedophile and yet you're the one thinking about sleeping arrangements. Don't worry about it. According to the kid, he and Enma are fine sharing the same bed."

For some strange reason, Giotto found himself frowning. He arched an eyebrow, curious at that statement, but didn't make a comment. During the month with Tsuna, he found himself…_liking_ the teenager's company. The thought came back from when they first _really_ got along. G told him he'd be lonely in the apartment when Tsuna went back with Nana. He…wasn't sure that he would be sad, but he wasn't sure he wouldn't _not_ be depressed over it.

Tsuna brought a sense of livelihood to his apartment whenever Giotto came home. He was like a puppy that'd just been bought, sniffing around hesitantly before it got settled, but expected nothing but abuse like from its last owner. He…liked his brother's company. A lot.

And this redheaded kid…he was a bit concerned. Obviously he'd walked in on something a bit…well, _awkward_ more than intimate since G had a habit of sparing empathy to a younger party, and quickly saw that Enma-kun was a bit underweight. Unlike Tsuna, who the blond had no doubt got perfect nutrition from his mother, Enma-kun was both on the scrawny side and unbelievably short. The concern was plastered across his best friend's face as soon as he got that look.

They'd been sitting on the couch, bite-sized redhead next to the taller one, and the kid looked mortified. His twig-like arms were shaking between his legs, shoulders hunched and eyes wide while the blush dominated most of his face, if not body. G, oblivious as he was, leaned over, empathetic toward his embarrassment (though apparently for the wrong reasons) and tried to be sweet and tender.

Of course he was empathetic – he was G. For as long as he'd known his best friend, G always held justice and friendship before anything. Giotto was the same way, but often times he questioned if his best friend's sense of righteousness outweighed his own.

So G was observing the obviously bloody eye, lack of nutrition, and the cutely insufferable pout across Enma-kun's face. Perfect friend for Tsuna. Well, he thought with a furrowed brow, probably not _perfect._ But the type of friend Tsuna would most likely have. An incompetent friend for an incompetent person.

Erm, something like that. Not…in that way. A frown fell across his lips as he fumbled through his thoughts.

The bathroom door slowly crept open and both caught sight of red hair. It would be the second time Giotto saw his brother's apparent best friend (who he would now and forever call the bite-sized G). Scarlet eyes caught his gaze before they looked down, tiny bandaged fingers coiled around the door knob. He stumbled with the first step and sauntered toward the couch before sitting down like an obedient child.

Red sprinkled his cheeks and he waited patiently, fingers playing with a loose string in his pajamas. Red hair fell in clumps, covering most of his ears and half of his downward cast eyes. Giotto looked at him curiously before clearing his throat. Enma-kun flinched, startled.

"We haven't formally introduced ourselves," he said steadily, eyebrow raised. "I'm Giotto. G is my best friend and – oh look. He's got red hair too. How ironic. Go figure. Coincidental much? Astonishing. How phenomenal."

A soft groan left said best friend's lips and he ran a hand through his hair. "Giotto – shut up. Just shut up."

"Just creating conversation." Giotto smiled softly, quickly switching to Italian, but he had a feeling bite-sized G knew what they were talking about. He looked over again, fiery eyes full of cautious amusement once Enma's attention lifted from the useless loose thread. His head moved slowly – mechanically, even, like one of the Crazy Claw at the local arcade – before settling on G. Immediately the poor kid darkened, stature shrinking (if possible) and he buried his face in his knees.

"I'll be staying for the weekend." His voice was as soft and innocent as his physique. Giotto frowned, eyes scanning bandages upon bandages on the poor boy's face. His thumb alone had nearly seven Band-Aids from who-knew-what. "If that's okay."

"Knock yourself out," said the blond with ease. "You're just in luck: G here is turning twenty-seven tomorrow, along with Tsuna's teacher. G'll chauffeur you around."

Somehow that didn't seem to ease the poor redhead. His eyes widened, apparently taken aback, but slowly they shrank and he tilted his head to the side. "But what about…never mind."

"About what?" G arched an eyebrow. He snorted, casually tapping Giotto on the shoulder with a roll of his eyes. "The fact that even on my birthday, my fucking _co-partner_ slash best friend is making me drive his brat brother and you around?"

Bad move. Enma winced, arms tightening around his legs before his ears turned pink. "S-Sorry…"

"W-Wait, ah." Ultimatum? G was left stammering like an idiot, speechless, and concluded to be a first class idiot. Way to go. "That's not…I mean…it was….sarcasm…"

Giotto snorted in amusement and took G aside for a moment. He quickly checked his watch and noted it would only be a few more minutes before Squalo and cousin Xanxus were hiking up the stairs and complaining about his 'shitty supply closet of an apartment.' He frowned, yet again worried as Enma hissed in pain and brought the finger he touched the loose strand of thread with into his mouth.

"You're scaring him," he muttered in…Dutch. Fortunately years of the international trade allowed him to be fluent in every language known to mankind. "Kind of funny though. I scared _my_ brother, but he loves you. Hey, don't redheads have some kind of like, alien communication? Or does your tattoo block that out?"

"Oh, fuck you." G arched an eyebrow, hands shoved in his pockets as he warily looked over to Enma, who was now staring at the remote for the life of him. "Maybe you're so blond that you're too fucking stupid for him to feel threatened."

"Nah, couldn't possibly be it." Giotto rubbed his chin, puzzled. "I'll stay with him. Go help out Squalo and cousin Xanxus before they do something stupid."

"Alright." He would have smiled at the frustration passing through his best friend's face if it wasn't downright hilarious. G shut his eyes, begrudging scowl across his lips before he whirled around and shut the front door behind him.

With a silent slam, Giotto turned his head back, immediately catching his brother's best friend's gaze before he plopped onto the floor across the coffee table. Enma tilted his head, and scooted back into the cushions.

"You can sit up here," he murmured quietly, reluctance spreading in his eyes. "I…I don't mind."

"It's fine." Giotto smiled back, mind running through a million things a minute. It was easier to talk to him than it was to Tsuna at most times, ironically. Giotto admitted, that was an unfair analysis, but he supposed it all went back to the fact Tsuna and he were brothers. Ugh, he never hated a word so much in his life. "So. I won't tell Tsuna about the mole on your thigh if you don't."

It probably didn't help that he was most likely the bluntest person in the world. The way Enma's face dusted pink was amusing, almost in the fashion of Tsuna's. They fell silent, Giotto smiling expectantly and Enma's mouth buried in his knees.

Finally: "We took baths with each other until we were six. I…I don't think it really matters."

"Point taken." He wished it had been this easy to accept Tsuna the same way it was with Enma-kun. He flushed lightly at the thought of it. Talking with Tsuna made him feel like a teenaged boy himself: awkward, dorky, and babbling on and on just to impress his brother, no less. It was flustering and frustrating, but…worth it. Tsuna would crack a smile or two and they were getting along on better terms now.

"I hear you in the background a lot on the phone," spoke the quiet redhead. He lowered his head, gaze still focused on Giotto's own fiery eyes. This boy was about to tread on fragile territory – he knew this for a fact. "You're a lot nicer…than you were before."

"He's too cautious for his own good," Giotto offered a half-smile. "Can't say I blame him. We're still getting used to the entire situation."

"Tsuna's used to being the older brother." Eh? Ah. That…Lambo…sheep-brother of the family or whatever. He was still trying to process the fact out of all the names Nana and Iemitsu could come up with, _Lambo_ was what they chose.

"You coming for fall break?" It was best to change the subject. The subject of family was still touchy for them. Enma's eyes flickered hesitantly, and he shook his head. "Probably not a good idea. Reborn's been telling me about his bad marks in math." Thoroughly and with a scowl. Damn that man; never liking his students to fail.

"Can I come for Christmas?"

"If you give G a big smooch on the lips under the mistletoe." Ah, ah? Giotto laughed softly as the poor boy's face contorted in a mixture of horror and an overbearing blush. This kid was cute. Almost as cute as Tsuna. "You seem to treat my brother well. Other way around, too. But don't hurt yourself until then, alright?"

The redhead dropped his head, face buried in his knees as he mumbled something inaudi—

"VOIII. Giotto, you fucking asshole!"

Fucking asshole was an oxymoron, if you thought about it. Giotto arched an eyebrow, amusement plastered across his face, but Enma-kun was startled. The redhead stood up from where he was before pathetically tripping and slamming his nose into the coffee table. Giotto winced, but didn't have time to ask if he was okay. The door slammed open, entire living room vibrating from the force before one mini-earthquake involving two very large feet stomping on the ground came toward him.

Squalo's eyes narrowed angrily, scowl plastered across his face and jabbed a finger in Giotto's chest. "Who the hell in this damn city would approve a _driver's license_ for you? We lost one of our fucking suitcases because you swerved and had to spit at some TRASH in the road!"

"He ran a stop light," Giotto grumbled defensively. He felt Enma tug his vest from behind, fingers trembling, before he clasped a hand over the boy's wrist and kept him still.

"No. He didn't run a damn stoplight – YOU DID." Squalo pushed him back, ultimately causing both adult and boy to crash into each other. Enma gasped, and Giotto pulled him to the side, hand secure on both shoulder and waist. Squalo didn't notice. "Damn your fucking driving skills to HELL, you arrogant pussy! And then you have the fucking nerve to IMPROPERLY park on a fucking hill, pop one of your damn wheels in a rose bush outside without the decency to UNLOCK THE FUCKING TRUNK. I OUGHT TO NEUTER YOU."

"I can't be held responsible for a popped wheel," Giotto's eyes narrowed. "They still have seven bloody months on them – I'll sue whoever the hell planted the rose bush in the middle of the parking lot and gave me faulty tires."

"VOIII YOU DOUCHE BAG!" Squalo ruffled his hair with both hands, teeth visible and as deadly-looking as a shark's. "YOU ARE SO FUCKING OFF YOUR ROCKER."

There was no point. The blond rolled his eyes, mildly amused, and looked over his cousin-in-law's shoulder to see the door creep open. Squalo had the foul tendency to have fits over absolutely nothing. His driving, for example, was absolutely nothing. "Cousin Xanxus."

"Giotto." With the curtness of his lover now in the room, Squalo seemed to cool down almost immediately. Enma-kun's face was buried in Giotto's shoulder like a little kid, and he was trembling. Maybe it was because he was Tsuna's elder brother. His friend didn't seem like a person who accepted others without caution. "You are a fucking moron."

"Which clears up…_your_ oxymoron." Heh. He made a funny. Giotto turned his gaze, settled on a shark that was now reduced to simmering, and gestured to the couch. "It pulls out like the old one."

Cousin Xanxus's eyes narrowed irritably to the bite-sized redhead at his side. "Your brother?"

"His friend."

The door slowly crept open yet again, and one blond eyebrow shot through his hairline in suspicion. Fiery eyes narrowed, suddenly concerned, and he could feel a tug on his arm. Tsuna. Tsuna who was…well, he wasn't crying, but he was surely sulking. G stood by him, lips pulled into a frown with a hand to his brother's back. Suddenly the poor brunet looked up, eyes widening to the many pairs of eyes glued to him, and blushed.

A small smile spread across his face and he mumbled a quiet "hi." That was it. Enma-kun brushed passed him, gracefully sidestepping both Xanxus and Squalo alike, and tugged on Tsuna's arm. Giotto cocked a curious eyebrow, arms crossing his chest as the redhead looked up, pink splattering his face as G and he made curious contact, before dragging his brother outside. The door promptly shut behind him.

That was. Um.

"So you like him," Xanxus said steadily. "Bastard child he may be."

"He's nice," Giotto said quaintly, head rose to project his opinion. His cousin, though admirable for being the only one deemed worthy enough to carry on Grandfather Timoteo's business, was irritatingly judgmental. Dino and he were the same age – wherever that idiot of a brother may be. "Xanxus, don't talk to him unless necessary while you're visiting."

"That's the plan." One black eyebrow rose and he snorted. "If you weren't family…"

"It's better this house than my house," G interrupted. His eyes narrowed wryly to Giotto's cousin before looking over and acknowledging Squalo. Oh goody. At least _someone_ was behaving.

"Voi, is that a new couch?"

"It's always a fucking new couch."

"VOIII! It isn't my fucking fault that your cousin is a shitty driver!"

"Get a new apartment by our next visit."

"Only if Squalo gets a new boyfriend." Sneer, sneer. Scowl, scowl.

"You two are a fucking bunch of nuts," grumbled Squalo. Giotto laughed gently, expression softening only a little while Xanxus glared at him. The adult grumbled something under his breath before brushing past him and plopping on the couch.

"VOIII! And where the fuck am I supposed to sleep!"

"Who says you'll be sleeping?"

"What the—you arrogant BASTARD!"

To this, the blond looked over to his best friend and grinned fully. Of course, G was grumbling something under his breath before they met eyes. He admitted, the relationship they all had with each other was…_odd_, but it was certainly interesting. He chuckled softly, and the front door suddenly squeaked open yet again. Enma and Tsuna slowly walked back in, hand-in-hand, and Tsuna was…smiling.

A bright smile. Giotto blinked, all amusement lost in curiosity as he watched his brother whisper something in his best friend's ear before they both burst into a fit of giggles. A smile…suited Tsuna. A lot. The days rolled by in his head; how every night he would hear Tsuna from his room chattering on the phone with his best friend. There was an occasional babble, maybe a soft stammer, but his brother was truly concerned for Enma's wellbeing. Obviously _now_ he knew why.

It made his stomach churn, really. _Oh well._

Smiling lightly, Giotto found himself leaning into G, hands slowly sliding down to his pockets. They were still getting used to each other. He felt…envious, really, that it only took a few minutes of private conversation before his brother's depression was lifted, and obviously it had done enough. It would be cool though. If he could get Tsuna to smile the same way Enma-kun did, he meant.

"Tsuna. This is your cousin-in-law, Xanxus. He and Squalo are going to be staying for the weekend." Giotto gestured to Xanxus, who was now napping peacefully as if nothing happened on his couch.

His brother blanched, eyebrows rising into his hairline before they knitted together. "I…I didn't know that…I didn't think…I'm sorry, was this a bad weekend?"

"It's too late now," Giotto mumbled. And it was his fault for not reminding Tsuna that this weekend would be G's birthday. He looked up, reassuringly smiling at his brother before gesturing to his room. "You'll just sleep on the floor in my room until they leave. Does that sound good?"

"I could ask Hayato to look after them for a while. Get 'em drunk and—alright, let's not." Both adults shared confused expressions as they watched Tsuna's relief fleet away, replaced with depression. Enma yanked on his hand, steadily bringing his best friend closer and shook his head. G ran a hand through his hair. "Imposing on Takeshi wouldn't be a good idea either."

"It's my responsibility." Giotto turned away from the pair of boys for a moment, eyes only on his best friend and rubbed his chin. "Don't worry about it."

G's eyes narrowed. "The last time you said 'don't worry about it'—"

"Big deal. She was going to find out anyway." The blond grinned wickedly. A chuckle escaped his lips once G's face contorted again before he turned around and pointed to his room. Tsuna and Enma perked in confusion. "Go in there and sleep. Take your stuff with you and don't worry – next time it won't be like this."

Fortunately they nodded. In one hand, Tsuna held a bag that neither apparently noticed before and guided him and best friend toward the couch. He bumped into Xanxus's leg.

Shit.

"Squalo," Giotto immediately hissed in a harsh tone. His eyes narrowed warningly to the swordsman, who apparently for once knew when to be quiet. Cool gray eyes darted his way, but nothing else.

Tsuna halted, startled by the pair of legs, but stood frozen nearly a second later. Horrible, deathful eyes stared him in the face, and for an entire minute, no one breathed.

Shit, shit, shit. G rested a hand on his shoulder, but he barely registered it. Anything. Anything but Celeste's side of the family meeting Iemitsu's future wife's. But Squalo stood there, just as expectantly and appeared not to have a care in the world if it didn't involve their new bed. G was dead, Enma sensed the aura, and all depended on what cousin Xanxus did.

And Tsuna got a leer.

"Watch it," growled the elder adult. With every single word, his poor brother flinched, mortified, and Xanxus continued, obviously appeased by this reaction. "Touch me again, and you'll die for it, you _shit-fucking piece of trash._"

With that, Tsuna was kicked. He was kicked into Enma, and a pair of chocolate brown eyes lifted fearfully to Giotto's own gaze. Sad. The brunet removed his hand from his best friend's grasp and hugged his ribcage.

"Can we eat in your room?" he croaked. A smile. Sad smile.

"Use my Advil." Giotto nodded shortly as Enma hesitantly grabbed both bags. The door shut silently, echo behind like a riveting harp. With an air of tense peace, Xanxus grumbled something under his breath before swinging his legs and grabbing the remote. Giotto glared. "That was uncalled for."

Squalo turned his head again, eyebrow arched to their expressions, and the blond finally noticed the hand on his shoulder.

"You disappoint me," Xanxus returned sharply. "Don't get attached, brat. I may like you, but him? He's nothing. He's trash."

"Cheeky fucking bastard," grumbled G under his breath.

"What do you want to eat?" Giotto tersely arched an eyebrow. This wasn't a subject he wasn't going to get on. There were two points he was raised with as a Vongola, and that would be one of them. Family was family, but Xanxus was also Xanxus. They weren't related in any way, and therefore it barely benefited him, if at all.

"Goat meat from Scandinavia. Better be fucking refrigerated before you cook it."

But what the hell. The next time he saw Dino, he was going to shove a branding iron up the Bucking Horse's ass for sticking him with the relatives.

OoOoO

He couldn't sleep.

Brown eyes shut in the dark, carefully chanting a mantra as he tried to drift off into slumber land. No avail. A sigh left his lips and he looked to the alarm clock placed on Giotto's nightstand. 12:04AM. It was his birthday. Today, he was officially seventeen. And…G was twenty-seven, apparently. It was…weird, to say the least. He arched a puzzled eyebrow and picked himself up off the floor. Gokudera-kun's words kept bothering him.

Tsuna shut his eyes and drew a sharp breath. He…he knew it was just the hotheaded teenager's frustration talking, but it was maddening. Gokudera rendered him speechless; unable to say anything in return, because…what was the point?

It wasn't his problem to begin with. In the three longest minutes of his life, Tsuna had come to the conclusion that even if Yamamoto and he were friends and…well, Gokudera said they were friends _too_, this was something they would have to figure out for themselves.

Yet somehow it just made him angry. Frustrated. P-Pissed off!

He'd been getting used to it now. Yamamoto's kindness, Gokudera's bluntness…they were sweet. And nice. Haru, on rare occasion that they saw each other, would greet him enthusiastically, and wouldn't stop touching him. After a month of being in Namimori, life was going great and today was even better with Enma around.

He smiled for the first time in three hours. Enma was next to him, back to his side and fast asleep. They'd eaten, said only a few words to each other before the redhead tackled him into a hug and fell asleep. He always did sleep better, Tsuna thought, if they were next to each other.

They talked about it outside after Tsuna's three minutes of contemplation. The redhead seemed frazzled, panicking even, before grumbling some story about the only person who really liked him in his foster family – Shitopi-chan – and blushed red. Tsuna laughed.

Never, he thought, _never_ did he want to be as unfortunate as his best friend and walk in on Shitt. P doing her monthly wax and shave of her entire body. And just like that, the two laughed it off, a little bit cheerier, and went back to the room.

The brunet snapped out of his thoughts when the door slowly opened and blond hair came to view. Giotto blinked, and Tsuna awkwardly waved.

"I thought you and Enma-kun would be asleep by now," said the adult slowly.

"He's asleep," Tsuna reassured. He gestured to the other side of him and suddenly blushed. Giotto nodded slowly before going to his closet on the other side of the room and shed his clothes. Oh _God._ "W-We took some of the sheets from your closet for the floor."

"That's fine." Giotto nodded slowly before disappearing into his bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

That was right. Tsuna blinked as he heard the shower running and looked around the room again. When both Enma and he first entered, a lamp was already on. There was no window, and he assumed it was because there was an apartment built behind Giotto's. The walls were white, but decorated with various picture frames. There were a lot of photos, really, of Giotto and his friends.

There was none of his mother or Iemitsu. Not even as husband and wife. Tsuna peeled the sheets off his body, slowly rising to his feet before he looked at a frame on the wall. Giotto was fifteen. Or…he had to be when this picture was taken. He blinked, curious at the hesitant smile spread across his brother's face while another blond kid – much older – hugged him.

The resemblance between him and Giotto were uncanny. Tsuna blinked, red scattering his cheeks as he thought of Giotto's qualities. Was…that what he was going to look like in a few years?

"That's a picture of Dino and me."

"Eek—!" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, heart racing before he turned around and met Giotto's eyes. The blond shut his bathroom door behind him, towel ruffling in his hair, and the brunet blinked. "Didn't you just get into the shower?"

Giotto arched an eyebrow. "Well, I just got out."

"B-But that was like less than two minutes!" He kept his tone hushed, immediately remembering that Enma was literally a foot away from him, asleep.

"You can do all of your necessities in two minutes," mused the blond. "Lather, rinse. No repeat. Brushing your teeth while showering reduces time. I'm squeaky clean."

That would explain his first few days here when Giotto and he were going out for laundry. His brother had changed quickly while he struggled to brush his teeth and take a shower, and his answers came tonight of whether or not Giotto even used his own bathroom. Before he knew it, the adult turned a corner and met Giotto by the same picture hanging on the wall.

"That's Dino." He gestured to the elder teenager holding him, and smiled fondly. "Before he went off to college."

Dino. Dino was…the other brother. Xanxus, Squalo, and the rest of the adults were talking about him in the living room. Tsuna shivered, hands stuffed in his PJ pants, but Giotto mistook it for something else.

"He's nice," Giotto mumbled quietly. "Nothing like me."

"A-Ah? He can't be nice and not like you. You're nice too." Oh, crap. His mouth was talking for him again. Red scattered his cheeks as the blond looked at him, somewhat taken aback from his statement before he shrugged. "I-I mean…well…w-we have a lot better relationship now, right?"

"Right." Giotto nodded back slowly and they entered silence. With nothing else to say, the blond grumbled a good night and crawled into his bed. Tsuna did the same and crawled back to Enma before burying himself under their shared duvet.

The lamp went out. But it was definitely still awkward. Everything was awkward. Had he known that October 14th was G's birthday, he would have bought a gift. Had he…had he known that Xanxus and Squalo were going to visit, then he would have waited. But…next week, Enma couldn't come. And at this rate, their friendship might as well be ov—

"Tsuna."

Well, that wasn't expected. "A-Ah…?"

"Don't…let what Xanxus say get to you. He's…a full-blooded Italian and had always admired Celeste." Giotto's faded slowly, and quietly, before continuing. "My mother, I mean. And it's the way he is."

"Alright," Tsuna whispered back. Was that what was bothering his brother? He'd…forgotten about it. Gokudera-kun's problem with him felt more important. But…his cheeks reddened. Giotto wasn't the type to get worried very easily. He was…shy with some of his feelings. "Giotto?"

"Mm?"

"I…I didn't take the pills." He shut his eyes and shivered when the mattress ruffled.

"You didn't do _what_? Tsuna, he's a skilled fighter. The Vongola come from a long line of mafia members, and—"

"I'm used to getting tossed around once in a while. That kick wasn't a big deal." The brunet felt his face heat up, but simply buried his head in Enma's hair. W-Wait, _what?_ "Wait, mafia members?"

"You're used to getting kicked around?" Giotto was still sitting up on the mattress.

"Y…Yeah." With a soft sigh, the teenager pushed off the floor and looked at his brother through the dark. It was barely there with what little light visible, but fiery eyes were haunting him. "It's…It's not a big deal. C-Could you tell me more about Dino-san?"

Neither one spoke. With a little bit of shuffling, Tsuna realized his brother was lying down again. He did the same. "He's a good big brother. Klutzy, but…he's there for you when you need him."

"O-Oh?"

"We…" Giotto chuckled softly and shook his head with amusement. "When we were little, Iemitsu brought home a dog he found on the street. We kept it in a cage when no one was around to take care of him, and eventually…"

"Eventually what?"

"Dino's allergic to them," admitted the blond. "But I forced him to go see it with me anyway. I was seven, he was ten. And kids are annoying – I hate them all." Tsuna choked on a laugh. Even with his musings, Giotto didn't seem like the type of person to tolerate children. "I was afraid of dogs, and I wanted him to protect me. Dino insisted it was fine, laughing despite all of the rashes he was getting just for being in the same room as it."

Tsuna's eyes widened in horror. "And what happened?"

"It was let out, I ran away screaming, and Dino broke out into hives." Giotto cracked a grin. "But when Mom and Dad found out, they were going to pin the blame on me. I was the troublemaker of the family. My brother broke down crying and telling them it was all his fault – all while he ran into the room before tripping over one of my shoes and breaking his nose against the kitchen table. We both got grounded for a month."

"Th-That's horrible!" But he couldn't help but smile. The brunet suppressed his laughter in fear of waking his best friend up.

"Do you have any about Lambo?"

Ah. Er. To this, his grin suddenly faded and he pressed a hand to his eyes. "I…I guess."

"Do tell."

"He…stuffed an active grenade in my backpack one day."

There was silence. "You're kidding."

"Why do you think my backpack is so grimy looking?" Tsuna smiled weakly and relished one of Giotto's soft chuckles. Each one tingled in his ears. Finally, he turned on his side, eyes facing Giotto's bed. His grin faded weakly, heart pounding while the laughter soon died out. "Giotto?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you…remember when I first met you?"

He could barely hear the blond breathe. "Do you?"

"Not…not really." His voice was barely audible now, and Tsuna curled into a ball, unsure of what to say.

"I was fourteen and you were five," muttered the blond. There was a soft rustle, and Tsuna cringed when the lamp was turned on. They faced each other, gazes locked, and Tsuna raised his head. "I told you: I don't have a tolerance level when it comes to children. I was asked to watch you, and…I wanted you to take me seriously. So I bluffed as far as I could go before I could get you to cry and…I…I went too far."

"Did I finally cry?" His fingers fumbled on the small scar on his stomach, and he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"You whimpered. That day you could have told them that I penetrated skin with some bloody knife I found in the drawer – probably one of Squalo's." His brother's blazing eyes narrowed slowly, and he shut them before continuing. "But I bandaged it up and shoved it in the back of my mind. It's…not one of my proudest moments."

"Were you surprised when asked to be my guardian?"

"Obviously."

And that was that. Tsuna looked up to his brother, but found the blond deep in thought. Way to ruin the mood. Shutting his eyes, he muttered a soft good night and turned so he was touching foreheads with Enma. This was awkward. This was painful. This was…was _horrible._

Then there was a loud, excruciating moan.

Tsuna jolted up from the bed and only met the back of his brother's head. "Wh-What was that?"

"_FUCK—you fucking….nn…__**ahh…..**__" _

Giotto sighed softly and sat up in his bed for the umpteenth time that night. He blinked, like the few seconds of sleep he managed to get were absolute bliss. "That would be cousin Xanxus and Squalo having sex on the couch."

WH-WHAT. "B-But…I-I sleep there…"

"_FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, __**GOD **__YOU BASTARD…!" _

"They'll be at it all night," Giotto muttered sleepily. "From now till probably five in the morning."

"A-And the couch before you replaced it?" The reason why they had replaced it was because Tsuna found a used condom. O-Oh god, what if it was _th-their's_—?

"I get it replaced after every year," Giotto said sharply, obviously disgusted. Under the lamp light, the blond apparently paled at the very thought. Still…I-It wasn't comforting. "We don't even remove it by _hand_."

"B-But—"

"Tsuna, before you came, Alaude and I had sex in every inch of this apartment. It shouldn't be that big of a deal."

"I-if that's supposed to be comforting, then it's not!" Normally he didn't yell at his brother. But now, his entire face was turning pink, and all of the incoherent sounds and repetitive _pound-pound-pound_ that was fairly audible was going to scar him for life.

"They fuck like rabid bunnies. And half the time it's not consensual." The blond looked at him warily. "Stop being ridiculous. Have you never walked in on your mother and Iemitsu going at it?"

"He's never around more than two days a year!" Tsuna squeaked. He pulled the comforter over his head and waited for his brother's next retort. It never came. Hesitantly, he slid the duvet off his head and looked at his confused brother. "Y-Yeah…?"

"He's not around for more than two days?"

Oh. "Erm. Yeah." It was why he never really called his father by that very word – Dad. It'd always been Iemitsu, and Nana was always the one who referred to him as Papa whenever he visited. Looking back up, he realized that Giotto was looking at him. With…w-with a lot of worry. Immediately he panicked again and shook his head. "I-It's not a big deal. I-I never really grew up with him anyway."

"Ah." The blond propped himself on one elbow, eyes narrowed to his younger brother. "And you were okay with it?"

"I…" He smiled uncertainly as there was a _loud_ collision between…well he didn't want to know. The wall across from them, however, was trembling. "It was fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Tsuna." Suddenly the blond swung his legs over the bed and slid to the floor, eyes meeting Tsuna's. He placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder, and barely noticed when he flinched. "This Tuesday, we'll go apartment hunting."

And suddenly, he was sent into panic mode again. In fact, the various moans from the other side of the apartment seemed like music compared to Giotto's declaration. "It's not a big deal. And…I-I don't want to spend your money over something as expensive as an apartment."

"I've got the money for it," Giotto retorted. He shook his head, hand running through his hair as fervent pink splattered his cheeks. "And it would be a lot better. You're not here for a nine month vacation – you're _living _here for eight more months. And need your own bedroom. Privacy. And a bed. So that way, we can almost guarantee they won't fuck like bunnies in your room when they visit for New Year's."

His eyebrows furrowed. "But—"

"You either agree to it or I force you." His brother was quiet. Suddenly, a hand was running through Tsuna's hair and the brunet shivered. "Alright?"

"I…b-but…" Tsuna sighed in defeat. "O-Okay."

"Good." They parted ways, touch lost, and the brunet fell steadily next to his best friend.

This was progress. Tsuna's fingers coiled around the comforter and he pulled it closer to his nose. A weight had been lifted off his shoulders, like…like Giotto's news was all that needed.

"Good night, Tsuna." The lamp was turned off.

It was…strange, actually. His heart was beating faster in his chest, but it didn't feel like it would kill him. There was no panic, no unease, and a lack of nausea. He shut his eyes, hand buried over Enma's torso, and nodded to himself. "Good night, Giotto."

When the mattress dipped and lips were pressed to his forehead in good merit, Tsuna realized they had as much effect as one of Enma's hugs. Maybe even better.

That night, they both fell asleep at precisely 1:24AM, peace-ridden and mind blank of the irritating cousin in the other room with his boyfriend.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

I spent all day yesterday writing this chapter. I don't quite like it, but it's about 8K long and you shall be satisfied. If not, I won't give you cookies. :B Guys. Remember something. THIS IS A BLOODY G27 STORY. I won't point out names, but I did get a PM telling me how they disliked G27 and requested I changed it to 2700. Not doing that. What I give is what you get, and please don't beg. The reply wall is there to show how much I love you guys, and although this note may be so offensive that half of you might not read this story ever again, I'm just going to remind you: 2700 friendship, 8027 friendship. G27, 8059. What I have is in there, and I'm glad you get into the story, but demands and such can get quite a bit overbearing.

So. Enjoy what you're getting, and although it won't stop me from updating, please don't complain about the couple choices I choose in the story that have already been established. If you're not complaining that the story is G27 or the fact there's 8059, then…you're good. And most of you haven't. But no more PMs about it. None of you have outright offended me, but it just gets a little…overwhelming. Um, reviews would be nice?

**GIVE IT UP FOR CATTWO28 AND COPYCAT-CAPYCOT. They're rivals. PLACE YOUR BET ON WHO GIVES THE LONGEST REVIEW. **

…ugh, this note makes me feel so mean.


	12. flowers and pants

**Chiri-tan **Haah. You got review virginity for this chapter. xD Xanxus was hard to do, actually. I was scared he turned out OOC **ToniChanLovesCookies **I LOVE YOU FOR READING THIS? HUZZAR AND BISCUITS. **Happy2Bme **Yamamoto-sexual is as amazing as the person who invented cinnamon sticks. Homg. And is Cozart in here? Maybe he is. Maybe he isn't. Who knows!~ **Soulfightersu **Tsuna gets a lot of grief in this story. But amazingly enough! …he's only cried when there was a used condom on his foot. Talk about guts right there. Lmao. **xRynnX **Giotto just makes everything funnier. xD Especially when G is in the mix. And just…poor Enma. Squalo makes me lol. He and Xanxus made me worry whether or not they were OOC though. xD And si. You may. **milostudio **Omigod, I read that and you just had me lol-ing. xD They actually don't in the manga/anime, but Reborn is still too secondary of a character to use his birthday. C': And yes. Enma sleeps like the dead. **abg31 **Aw, I'm glad you like it! Enjoy the next chapter! **VongolaPrimo27 **Giotto and Enma's relationship makes me lol. xD Wonder how many fans I can get to like Giotto x Enma the same way people spaz about G x Tsuna. Lmao. **LivingGlow **You'll just have to see! Enjoy the next chapter! **StaplerPrincessofDoom **Giotto pokes fun with everyone. And the whole, "screwing the nephew" bit shall be explained later. :D I like D18 actually. xD I'm still debating how much or if I'll have it in this story. **aimeeshii **B'aww. :D **Lireach **Dude. Since the author of the series is a girl, I just keep expecting her to turn all of them gay. Lmao. And…I like Shitt P, strangely enough. xD **sender unknown **…huge link is huge. Hngghhh~ **Mistee **The apartment hunting part will be fun to write, actually. xD And you'll see what happens. **Sara Blake **aw, thanks! Enjoy the next chapter! **Ayumistar00 **Not yet. I'll check it out later? Haha. **HarnessLight **You know, I've been getting that comment a lot for my writing how people can feel like they're in the story. xD I never understand it, but I'm glad that you like it so much. Oh and, welcome to the team! Hehe. **Niwasae **Welcome! **yaoimadness **You'll have to wait and see! **copycat-capycot **Oh dear. You just…I love you. xD And by the way, that scene with Gokudera and Tsuna? Imagine Tsuna, big eyed like a puppy dog, almost whimpering, and his lower lip pushed out, quivering and shaking before like a little, defeated puppy, he sauntered off without a goodbye. And _that_ is what made the scene so fun to write. **Breathless02 **It's the first time Giotto's personality has been introduced in POV form, right? I think I did rather well. Hehe. **Metamorcy **I SEE YOU UPDATED. SO I UDPATED TOO. And I was so tired when I read it that I forgot to review. So I shall get around to that later. **The RPers HELL group. :D **THAT IS MY TWO CENTS. HARHAR. **Faust's Oblivion **Haha. It's been three weeks. Is that faster than you can blink? xD **Fire Princess 21 **Xanxus is quite fun to write, actually. xD You'll like him in this chapter, methinks. **Seriyuu **Ah, don't worry about it. **Kichou **Enjoy the next chapter! **An anonymous Fangirl **Aww, that's so nice. My story's become a drug. Lmao xD **marsnmonkey **Aww. :D **FaerieDemon **I still laugh. That GxEnma fans. Call it G00. And now, when I think of them, I think of Genma from Naruto or Goop. Hehe. **Mirriox **Aw. :D And yes. I have a horrible shorts/sock/sunglasses tan. It's saddening. xD **skitty-nya **Aww, thanks. :D **SoulReaper Rukia **lmao. That's what I think. xD They giggle more than I do, and I'm only fifteen. Whooops. Let that slip. **lemonlimediddies **Aw, I dunno. But you guys make me feel warm and fuzzy when you ask. Hehe. **Phil **Really? xD That's the angle I always go for in my stories, but I can't help but fear sometimes the story drags because of it. **luna faith 90 **Haha, enjoy the next chapter! **Puppeteer Illusione **I love Ryohei. xD But since he's an upperclassmen, I can't put him in a lot, sadly enough. Enjoy the next chapter! **NeoGene **You'll have to wait and see! **Kanberry **They should get into a thumb wrestling match. I would so watch. **xxxKimi-chan **Aw, that's so sweet! **xryuchan27 **Awww, thanks. :D** Masked Hatter **Ah. So here is a review that I've been looking eager to reply to. xD Tsuna. I guess I was really rude when I stated my opinion – what I mean is, I really do love Tsuna as a character. But generally, when cast in a story, people mess with his character, and although he's submissive, they focus on how submissive he is rather than what he would say or do. Like…I think 10069 is amazing and awesome. I've read maybe one or two stories and one doujin. I shall never read 10069 again unless it's a side pairing, but mostly because I don't have time to read a lot of the times. When it comes to Mukuro in the stories, it always makes me sad how he loses his mischievous edge. They make him the all-out submissive uke who cries and is positively vulnerable, or at least in the stories I've read. It's not that I hate Tsuna's character – but there's a special portrayal to submissive characters you must remember to make sure they're not OOC. I don't want Tsuna crying, pathetic, and acting like a damsel in distress – erm. Well, I've had all of those, but I mean…do it in a more dignifying way? Haha. You're fine. I wish I could reply to everything in this review, but the wall is gonna be big enough as it is. xD **Fran Sheep **I'm not sure about my details. xD But I think I do a good job on them, so thank you. And yes. Giotto can't drive to save his life. That is what makes him adorably useless. xD **Recurring-Nightmare **I'm told I have a good sense of humor, but I have no clue why, lmao. I should try doing a humor story here and there. Anyway, I'm glad you like the story! You…are my longest reviewer. xD **qqsha **Giotto makes me laugh in so many ways. I think he's one of my favorite characters to write because of how witty and a little childish he can be. The other being Gokudera because he curses more than a sailor. xD **InfinityOnTheRun **You spelled definitely right. Marry me. :D **kikyokyoyahibari **Your review. Gave me a headache. xD;; But in general, a lot of questions just make my head hurt, and I don't have time to answer them all (it too me an hour just to get all of these reviews replied), so I hope you can bear with it. Sorry! **yamiyugiatem **Haha, you silly person. **Ophianara Blade **I just started school. xD **marialeiah **Haha! Not likely. People tell me I'm a sadist that way. xD **michico1243 **It will, but not for a while. They won't be having any sex any time soon. xD **Sassy **Aw. –Proud- **FalseMoon **CozartTsuna, eh? Who knows~ **Shakugan no Shana **I'm glad you like it! **–Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac – **That's what I like about Enma. In the manga I think it's the same way too – Enma and Tsuna are a lot alike, but Enma is a bit more bitter, methins. xD **Cattwo28 **Dude. I went on that ride. It was epic. **junjou Spazz **Haha, Tsuna blushes a lot. xD …I actually didn't notice. :D **btg101 **Enjoy the next chapter! **Ennae **You'll just have to wait and see! **Uchiha Lolita **Haha, it'll be in there. I can promise you'll like it. **vickibla **Aw, thanks! **Lenah-1827 **If Xanxus was my cousin…I would be Italian. Lmao. I was listening to…Burn the Night Away by ThereForTomorrow when I wrote this. xD It's a good 2700 song, like in the aftermath of what's happening in the manga right now. **y0u **Am I like the only one who brushes my teeth when I take a shower? …apparently.; xD **gracefulsunshine **Coool. You play flute and are Asian too? That's epic. Copycat-Capycot came up with the quote, I just stole it and now adore her for it. xD **garnet013 **Lmao. Look who won at the bottom~ **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Thanks! **That's Riku **Voiii! …hi. :D** UniversalOverlordess **That would be a fun thing to add though, eh? 's updates get on my nerves though. xD **Twilight Emo Wind Goddess 801 **Aww, this story really IS a drug. Haha. **Ain soph auir **Haha, do as you wish? I don't mind, honestly. C': **Tharrow **Giotto's job…has not been revealed yet. xD I lol, because the entire time I'm sure Tsuna is just going, "Just…what does my brother DO for a living?" **bamboo112 **Haha. **OH MY. **Spazzzzzzz. **.ixos. **I love Gokudera's characterization to bits in this story. xD If I get a chance to, I think I'll write a separate 8059 story with a special homophobic Gokudera. **Heratsu **Would you find it ironic if I said my favorite part to write is the dialogue? The narration can get on my nerves some times, but I like using it to um…how to say… pass the time in the story? If it makes sense? **HetChrome **And where have you been, silly head? Giotto and Alaude are an interesting pair in this story. xD I love them. **XXX **Updated! **scarredlove1017 **You think like…just maybe…they all just say that stuff to get a kick out of seeing Tsuna squirm? Lmao.

**chapter twelve has **flowers and pants.

"He's…wow."

"Yeah," breathed Tsuna. They stood adjacent, knuckles brushing against each other once in a while he watched with fascination as Enma leaned over Giotto's nightstand to look at a particular portrait of his brother and G. Pink scattered his cheeks, and he smiled softly as his best friend nudged it.

G and Giotto: two little five-year-old kids in booster seats with spaghetti sauce over all their faces. Noodles scattered the table, and a distraught Dino-san looked as if he were about to cry with two tiny forks forcefully rammed into his teeth.

Giotto looked…_cute._ Everywhere they looked, frames possessed the entire wall; no inkling of white to be seen. Pictures of five-year-olds, seven-year-olds, thirteen-year-olds and so forth met from floor to ceiling, and with each photograph changed Tsuna's opinion of his brother for better…o-or for worse. Gosh, poor Dino…

"Can't say I'm surprised," admitted Enma after a moment or two of silence. His hand pressed against the wall, slowly tracing a different portrait, and Tsuna followed is fingers. G and Giotto were together in almost if not all the pictures. "They're really close."

"Their closeness is more like you and me though," the brunet said casually. He shrugged. "Giotto's seeing someone, and from what I hear, G's divorced."

Enma's fingers came to a halt. "So…he's…straight."

"I'm pretty sure he's bisexual." From…all of the stories he'd heard of Giotto and G getting together with Gokudera-kun's sister splashed in between. "You could have a shot with him." Suddenly his eyes widened, quickly realizing his words as Enma's hand curled nervously and he turned his best friend's way, face as red as his hair. "I-I mean…e-erm…"

"Wh…What are you implying?" Suddenly the redhead's voice raised three octaves, and he was redder.

"I-I'm not…i-implying? Why would I…" This was crap. With a small sigh, Tsuna leaned forward, tiny nervous smile inching across his lips. "Y-You like him, don't you?"

There was silence. Then very quietly: "He's pretty."

Pretty. _Pretty._ He almost laughed at the word, but there was honesty behind it. G was as pretty as Giotto, but in his own way. Sharp jaw held high and parallel to the ground almost if not all the time, a messy mop of red hair easily pulled off with a calm but wary disposition, and last but not least, the tattoo that ran down the right side of G's face; extravagantly and boundlessly sculpted to the very last detail. G was…handsome, but not pretty. Giotto was pretty.

Well, he thought with a pink blush, maybe it wasn't right to suddenly analyze his brother in that light. With a somewhat wider smile, Tsuna shrugged. "He reminds me of my mother. Giotto calls him his wife."

"Oh."

"You're not…," Well, Tsuna thought with a pensive tone, "You're not _jealous_ are you?"

He leaned into his best friend, and with a symphony of different, gorgeous hues of red, Enma lit up, eyes still on a particular picture of both the brunet's brother and best friend in their graduation gowns from who-knows-when. Two wiggly eyebrows furrowed, Enma's petal-like shaggy hair brushing into his eyes before swaying to the left and right for a negative shake.

"E-Enma," stammered Tsuna again, as if he'd just come across the "x" of a buried treasure, "Th…They're not married. I-I mean…if you like him – that's good! Y-you like him, and – "

"Tsuna."

" – it's kind of cute, but you know, it might just be a crush but at the same time, h-he's really nice, a-and he's really a cool adult and – "

"_Tsuna._"

" – wow, this is the first time you'ved liked someone, right? So – "

"Tsuna, shut up." The redhead's tone deteriorated, face buried in his hand as the pink sprinkled across his cheeks. With a short shake of his head, he hunched over. "Just…p-please don't…"

"R-Right. S-Sorry."

"By _God_, you two wake up too early!"

"Eek!" Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth and winced as a pillow was thrown in his direction. It collided with his face with a less than elegant _moosh_ and once settled, Giotto's fiery eyes caught his gaze. "M…Morning."

"Do you always sleep under so many duvets?" Enma's voice peeked through, three times louder than it had been only a few seconds ago. Tsuna looked to his side and felt confusion bubble in his stomach. The redhead's posture remained languid despite the petite blush accentuating his features.

And for the longest time, he'd known Giotto to be grouchy, groggy, and barely sensible if awoken before 8:30AM. However, the irate adult's face immediately contorted, and he looked over to Enma, amusement sprinkling his eyes. "Do you always sleep like the dead?"

Well, this was weird. Enma's eyes widened slightly, innocence gleaming in his eyes, and Tsuna couldn't help but blush. His eyes wandered toward the clock on Giotto's nightstand. It was only a minute shy of 8:20AM.

"Do you mean…the stuff that Tsuna was talking about?"

"My cousin fucking his boyfriend like a rabid bunny?" Tsuna paled. A-According to Giotto, Xanxus and Squalo were normally…_making love_ until five in the morning. Three and a half hours ago was when they stopped.

Urgh.

"Yeah." Enma's tone shortened, shoulders drooping in defeat before they entered a silence.

Nerves were bundling in Tsuna's stomach. He looked back and forth between the two, noticing ever-so-slightly as Enma's head turned to the side and attentively to a picture of both G and his brother on the wall.

"You should get him something for his birthday," Giotto said simply. Tsuna cocked his head, eyes meeting his brother's. So…i-it was obvious to him, too. "He likes things sturdy."

Enma glowed pink. Tsuna stood up promptly after his best friend, but there was nothing aside from absolute seriousness in both best friend and brother's face. The poor redhead ducked his head in defeat. "May I use your restroom?"

"Go for it." Giotto shrugged his shoulder near the door and looked up to Tsuna. Tsuna gulped. In soft steps, the redheaded teenager pedaled to the bathroom and shut the door behind him.

A sigh of relief escaped the brunet's throat and he plopped back down to the ground deep in thought. In a turnabout way, he knew it was rare for Enma to speak, so it was…relaxing to hear his voice. But tense. Giotto's personality in comparison to his best friend's was…loose, and witty. Enma was gentle, but firm. Putting them in the same room together worried him.

"So what's the story about him?"

Huh? Oh… "Enma," Tsuna mumbled halfheartedly as he analyzed the situation. Enma would be leaving early tomorrow morning. He wanted nothing more than for his best friend to stay, but he questioned the redhead's mentality. _Especially_ when it came to the people of Namimori. "Enma…lives in a foster home. He…doesn't really get any special treatment even…though with his previous family…Mama tried to get legal custody of him when we were kids, but failed."

Iemitsu was still with his original family – with _Giotto._ That being said, of course no one would trust the mother to an illegitimate child with another little one to take care of.

"Oh?"

"Back then he was completely healthy and sweet. He would be in touch with his biological family, but can't. And…" Tsuna scratched his arm, eyes still on the bathroom door. Wait…wh-what was he _saying?_ Snapping out of his ministrations, Tsuna pulled his attention back to his brother, who himself was hanging onto every word. Suddenly the poor brunet felt embarrassed, reminded of his many times under medication and the inability to remember anything. "Since Xanxus and Squalo are visiting, does that mean you're throwing G a birthday party?"

His brother looked hesitant in changing the subject. Finally, he slowly nodded and nudged his head to the door. "My friends and I will handle it. Why don't you and Enma-kun hang out with Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun until later?"

"You won't need help?"

"I doubt you'll be any help in the ballroom of a five-star hotel." Giotto smiled wryly and pulled his brother up just as he stood up. Suddenly that grin faded, replaced by surprise and Tsuna blinked in confusion.

"Y-Yeah?"

"You're in the middle of a growth spurt." A fiery warm hand touched the brunet's forehead and Giotto gestured to his nose. "When you first came you barely met my shoulder. No wonder why you've looked so odd in your clothes lately. They don't fit."

That…explained a lot. Tsuna looked up again, now realizing that for weeks now he didn't have to tilt his head as much as usual to meet his brother's gaze. But if that meant _he_ grew, so did Enma.

"We'll go shopping for a new wardrobe after the cousins leave. I'm sure I have a spare suit or two for you and the red munchkin to wear."

"Red munchkin?"

"Enma-kun." Giotto cracked another grin just as the other teenager crept out of the bathroom, fully clothed in a different outfit. Enma looked up, surprised, and tilted his head to the side. The blond reached over to the drawer of his nightstand and pulled out three crisp bills before putting them in Tsuna's hand. "We'll buy you a new wardrobe after we settle on a new apartment on Tuesday. This'll pay for breakfast and lunch if you don't eat over at Takeshi-kun's. And if you want to buy something for G."

"It's…your money though." Tsuna shook his head and hesitantly pushed the money back to his brother's. He hated borrowing money from other people. Yamamoto already treated him like his girlfriend, and although borrowing money from his _brother_ shouldn't have been as bad, it still felt…bad. "I-I know with my curfew and everything, I don't have time, but…I-I'd rather get a job or something…"

"You're my brother, right?" Brown eyes snapped up as soon as those four words left his brother's mouth. The "B" word had always been something they acknowledged, but never really said aloud. "I'm bribing you. Stay out of this house, don't _bother_ cousin Xanxus and buy me some crab sushi. I'll even throw in an extra bill if you can convince the munchkin to talk to my best friend. Hang out, G'll take you around in a few hours, and you can distract him until party time."

"I…uh…s-sure." There was no use arguing with Giotto. With a sigh, Tsuna tore away from his brother and looked to Enma, who stood by the door with his backpack in hand. He smiled weakly. "Let me change really fast and then we can leave."

Only a few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom to the scene of Giotto and Enma sitting at the end of his brother's king-sized bed rambling about who-knows-what. Tsuna stood by the door, going unnoticed as they continued their conversation. Enma tentatively smiled and muttered something under his breath. In return, Tsuna carefully narrowed his eyes at his brother, quickly noting the wariness he held and frowned.

Did he…say something?

Finally, they looked up and Enma crawled off the bed.

"Alright," said the redhead finally as he met his best friend by the door. Tsuna flashed a look of confusion as Enma's eyebrows troublesomely furrowed. Finally, he broke into a smile, eyes refocusing on the brunet himself before he gestured toward the door. "We'll see you later."

"Remember what I said," Giotto chimed lightly. "And…have fun, Tsuna."

"I…y…yeah." Well, that was weird.

The second Giotto's door shut tightly, Tsuna shoved the money into his pockets and squeezed Enma's hand harshly. They paused, eyes almost automatically traveling to the couch from the night before and—

O-Oh _God._

"Let's…"

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna turned his head to the other teenager, who was redder than his hair. The pair came to another halt, and the brunet's heart pounded violently in his chest once Xanxus's lip twitched. Underneath Xanxus was Squalo, and with a sudden jolt, the white-haired adult kicked his lover square in his torso. Down came the tanner man, and Enma cowered behind his best friend in fear as Xanxus hit the ground head-first, one thin blanket gracefully covering his legs while Squalo turned over, head buried in the armrest of one red, thoroughly ripped and tattered couch.

There was no movement. For an entire minute, Tsuna forgot how to breathe while Xanxus lay there as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, his lips parted, emitting one monotonous snore, and he turned to his side. Tsuna's body loosened automatically and pressed against his best friend.

"That was…" Enma's soft voice filled his ears, so inaudible not even a mouse would hear.

"Y-Yeah," Tsuna muttered back, maybe even a hair quieter than the redhead. He gulped, head burying into Enma's shoulder as he attempted to recollect is sanity, and pulled them toward the door. "Let's…"

"Yeah."

Without hesitation, Tsuna shut the door behind him and found the other teenager staring down the flight of stairs, eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Is that why you were pushing me from side to side last night?" he questioned.

"Yeah. They're…_sturdier_ than they look." And somehow after two months, Tsuna still could not get over his odd phobia. Enma, on the other hand, steadfastly walked down the stairs, stumbling only as his shoelace tangled with a crack. The poor boy tripped and landed face-first into dirt. "Enma!"

In a matter of seconds, the brunet was by his best friend's side and plucked him from the ground. Enma flipped over, instead landing on his behind and looked up to his best friend. "Oops."

"Oops, you're right." Tsuna smiled nervously and secured an arm around his best friend's waist before guiding them toward the gate. "What were you and my brother talking about?"

"Stuff. You." Once they came to an agreement, Enma parted from his best friend and they trekked toward the sidewalk for downtown Namimori. "You went down the stairs pretty fast."

"I guess you just bring that out of me," Tsuna joked. But all-in-all, it was true. Ever since the day they'd met, Tsuna had been protective of his best friend. His foster family wasn't exactly the nicest in Shimon, and it didn't help that the redhead had the coordination of a common housefly. Maybe…that was another trait he shared with Giotto, he realized. G was able to bring out the whimsical side of Giotto. Though to begin with…there erm, weren't a lot of sides Tsuna really knew to his brother.

Giotto was very passionate about his job. Even on his days off (when Tsuna saw him), the blond was scanning paperwork. There was a shy side to his brother, who hesitated to speak if Tsuna was forward with a decision. And then…well, as his brother. Tsuna's eyes instinctively trailed back to the high buildings of the Namimori Apartment Complex. Last night as his brother, Giotto was _sweet_ and _tender_, and—although he was on the blunt side to begin with—honest.

There were little slips about the blond that Tsuna found himself never hating. It made him…well, human. Giotto was held in a high light, superior to many and the lot in Namimori mostly knew who Giotto was. What did he even _do _for a living?

"He calls me," Enma interrupted after a moment of silence, "'Little Bite-Size.'"

A-Among other things, actually. Stores were opening up as Enma and he met the town. Tsuna pushed both his hands into his pockets. "You guys were speaking in Italian, right? Is it hard?"

Red eyes flickered hesitantly and Enma shrugged. His lips curtsied nostalgically. "I haven't spoken fluent Italian since I was little. It's…different from classes at school."

"But in a good way, right?"

"Yeah."

"Let's hang out before meeting up with Yamamoto." Tsuna obstructed their path and stood parallel to his best friend. "It's been too long."

To that, the redhead nodded his head, hands tight on the straps of his backpack. They walked in comfortable silence, neither saying much and for an instant, Tsuna felt like they were back in Shimon, walking side-by-side, but without a care. In Shimon, Tsuna realized, they had to be wary of enemies who lurked near. In Namimori – e-even though it had a lot of _psychos_ – life was…normal. Ish.

"You've got a good life here," Enma mumbled.

"I like it even better when you come to visit." The brunet looked to the side, genuine smile spread across his lips. "Maybe we can work out a schedule where you visit every other weekend or something. I don't think Giotto would mind much."

"He wouldn't," agreed the redhead. "He likes me…I think."

"S…Speaking of getting people to like you?" Tsuna's eyes traveled back to his best friend, nerves building in the pit of his stomach as they halted. "I-I mean, it's good that Giotto likes you. Giotto's a lot nicer now, a-and I think a lot of that has to do with…you know, G."

There was no yelling, no freaking out, and Enma didn't even fall on his face. Instead, ruby eyes met brown, fingers stuck between the straps of Enma's backpack before a pink tint scattered across the redhead's cheeks. "What about him?"

"I…I dunno," Tsuna confessed, and he shrugged awkwardly. "You just…didn't get off to a good start when you two met. I don't think he thinks you like him much."

"What would there be to judge?" Enma mumbled back, and slowly he trudged forward until Tsuna was out of his line of sight. "It's not like…anything happened."

Something had to, if his best friend was shying away from his questions.

"Why _would _anything happen?" asked the brunet curiously. He thought back to last night, suddenly reminding himself that he'd left Enma alone in the house. After his dispute with Gokudera-kun, G had found him on his way back to Giotto's apartment and his brother (along with some…_interesting_ company) had Enma cowering behind him in fear. If G was outside getting their food the entire time, then Enma had no chance to meet the redheaded adult.

Erm, right?

Still. Looking over his shoulder again, Enma's red face quickly caught his attention yet again. The other teenager ducked his head, bangs blinding his demeanor from view as he shuffled his feet and mumbled something under his breath.

"I-I know it's only been a day since the two of you met!" Tsuna quickly put a hand on Enma's shoulder to keep him from running into anything. "S-So, just get to know him, alright? I see G as much as I see Giotto every day – maybe even more. And it's best to like each other now than later…right?"

Red orbs met his gaze hesitantly. With a bleak sigh, Enma gently pushed away from his best friend's grasp and trudged forward. Tsuna followed after and sputtered an apology. With a sudden jerk, they halted in front of a flower shop. Tsuna blinked.

"What are we doing here?"

"Shopping." Without another word, the redhead entered the shop. Tsuna followed from behind, confused as ever before Enma strode straight toward the cashier. Come to think of it, it was more of a requirement to get G a gift than it was for Enma.

That thought in mind, Tsuna turned around, eyes wandering through the many different flowers before he dug for whatever money Giotto had given him. According to his brother, G liked things…_sturdy._ Flowers weren't exactly sturdy—but they were a nice gift. He glanced back to his best friend, who was busy discussing flower arrangements with a groggy teenager who looked like—

"Kyoko-chan." Well, that was unexpected. Tsuna stood at the tips of his toes, nerves getting the better of him as he identified who his best friend was talking to. Surly enough, it was Sasagawa-senpai's little sister working the front desk. He turned around, eyes wandering through the rest of the store before he settled on a shelf in the corner with things aside from flowers.

A birdhouse. Granted, Tsuna wasn't the most creative person in the world, but the design was pretty. He picked it up, half-attentive to the oak wood that would most likely splinter him in the future, and looked to the corner of his eye where Kyoko-chan was conversing with a befuddled Enma. It wasn't the first time he'd seen her out of school. She followed her brother around once in a while, and they saw each other at Yamamoto's scrimmages and baseball practices here and there.

However…that was when he was in a group with someone who already knew her. Enma on the other hand…well, they were strangers. Finally as he heaved a nervous sigh, the brunet scuttled toward the front desk, birdhouse in hand, and set it on the counter.

Kyoko gasped. "Tsuna-kun! This is the first time I've seen you outside of school without a uniform."

"M-Me too. With you." He smiled bashfully and dug his foot into the ground. "Hi, Kyoko-chan. I take it you've met Enma?"

"Kozato-san?" As usual, a lovely smile graced her lips and she turned her head ever-so slightly to meet Enma's gaze. The other redhead smiled back, somewhat comforted that his best friend knew her. "He told me it was a birthday present. Are you buying something for Reborn-sensei too?"

Tsuna nodded and gestured to the birdhouse. "Not for Reborn-sensei. My brother's friend's birthday is today, so we figured it'd be good to buy something."

"Birdhouse." Enma's eyes narrowed carefully at the gift. "Does he like birdhouses?"

"Giotto said he liked things sturdy." And it looked pretty. Tsuna shrugged and looked back to Kyoko, who was content with watching them. "Are you going to buy flowers?"

The redhead looked uncertain, attention fixated on the petty birdhouse, before he finally nodded. "I'm…going to look at flowers."

"Okay." Tsuna watched him venture off to the other side of the shop before turning his attention back to Kyoko-chan. He pulled out a wadded up bill and awkwardly shifted between his feet. "I'm u-um…s-surprised to see you up so early."

He didn't talk to girls a lot. There were Shitt P. and Adelheid, but he hardly hung out with them outside of school. Still, Kyoko minded little or didn't notice.

"I'm filling in for Hana-chan since she's sick today." Her eyes glimmered with a twinkle of mischief. "Happy Birthday, Tsuna-kun."

"You found out about that?" He blushed.

"Yamamoto-kun came by yesterday to tell us. He…really cherishes you as a friend, you know." Kyoko picked up the birdhouse and carefully examined the price. Without any hesitation she made the payment before bagging it and leaned into the counter, odd look on her face. "He looks a lot happier with you around. We're not the closest of friends, but it's odd to see him without a smile. So thank you for that."

"I-It's really nothing." Oh, wowzers. Tsuna darkened, hands tucked in his pockets as Kyoko giggled. Discomfort struck him again, and the adoring gleam returned in her eyes. He had no idea why, really… but it was weird. It…made him think of how Haru stared at him lately. Since they first met, actually.

"You must be joking if you think it's just nothing," said Kyoko. And she touched him on the shoulder. It tingled under her fingers, and on instinct he fidgeted as if he were trying to shrug it off. He didn't want to say that it was uncomfortable. Kyoko was nice! He liked being friends with her. "All Oniichan talks about now is you trying out for track. Gokudera-san doesn't allow a lot of people in his circle of friends, either. You're special."

Tsuna shrugged and looked guilty. His eyebrows furrowed, mind drifting back to his argument with the hotheaded teenager. "We're…not seeing eye-to-eye right now."

"Oh." Instantaneously, her smile dropped and their eyes wandered away from each other. Way to be a mood killer, Tsuna internally groaned. He ran a hand through his hair. Kyoko-chan was the only other girl he'd talk to alone in Namimori, with Haru being the other. Reborn-sensei assigned a lot of group projects, and with a grouchy Gokudera-kun, he and Yamamoto would automatically turn to her for help with homework. In return, Gokudera-kun threw fits and Yamamoto normally went to him.

Ironically, that was all that was needed to…what was it – "sooth the savage beast"? Gokudera was far from savage, despite his abrasive behavior. But for an entire month to get Gokudera off his case, Tsuna always worked with Kyoko in their groups of four. Eventually, Sasagawa-chan and Sawada-kun wore off to Kyoko-chan and Tsuna-kun. And they had some things in common, even if she teased him for being quiet.

Like now.

"What flowers is he picking?" Tsuna interrupted their awkward silence, suddenly reminded of this fact, and idly looked at her from the corner of his eye. She looked troubled. From bringing up an awkward subject, maybe? Guilt poked his chest.

Not a second too soon, Kyoko snapped out of her thoughts and looked over his shoulder before smiling in approval. "Daffodils. You give them to someone who you really appreciate. They're perfect for anyone who you know to be very noble and respectful."

That…sounded exactly like G-san. Tsuna leaned against the counter, carefully watching as Enma picked six daffodils and carefully checked the price. "What about the other ones?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw her expression change, and she focused more on each flower before she softly laughed.

"What is it?"

"Yellow Jasmines stand for timidity." Her eyebrows furrowed, cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment as Enma completed a clumsy bouquet of flowers that looked more like a shrub, and met gazes with her classmate. "He seemed so shy when he first came into the store. Does he talk a lot?"

"Enma's really quiet." Tsuna said sheepishly. Enma had never been a speaker. Even when they were little, it was hard to get his best friend to say anything instead of pointing to whatever he wanted, and he was used to hearing silence. Tsuna spoke for him, whether it was in class or to his mother. The fact that he didn't talk to Kyoko-chan wasn't surprising. "You know a lot for someone just filling in for Kurokawa-san."

"Hana-chan loves her job as a florist." She sighed dreamily, hands pressed against her own cheeks. "And she's my best friend. I love visiting her at work and listening to all of the meanings of each flower."

"You look like the florist type." He shrugged nonchalantly with his lips spread into a cautious blush and eyed her. "Maybe you should think about getting a job here over the summer if you need the money. Or even just for fun. They complement you really well, Kyoko-chan."

"Oh, really?"

"That is—erm, uh." Suddenly Tsuna stiffened, quickly taking note of the odd look on Kyoko-chan's face again, and made sure there was distance between them. Kyoko's eyes flickered, and she snapped out of whatever stupor he supposedly put her in before opening her mouth to speak.

Then there was a crash.

With a loud _clang_ and a domino downfall of other clutters, the pair looked to Enma, whose foot pathetically landed in a basket of apricot blossoms and head collided with a shelf. Tsuna abruptly stood up and went to the aide of his best friend, Kyoko in suit.

"Ow."

"Are you okay?" Obviously not. A grimace spread across the brunet's face, eyes looking up and down at the smudges of dirt that adorned Enma's forehead to chin and the new bump on his cheek.

Fortunately, Kyoko-chan wasn't known just for her good grades and pretty looks. "What happened?"

"Was…reaching for a flower on the top shelf…found the ladder…" Enma gestured to the small three-step ladder at the end of his feet, and wobbled as he stood to his feet. A frown spread across his face once he got a better look at the blossoms ruined by his shoe. "The rest is history. I…I'll pay for the ones I damaged."

"You only damaged a few of them." Kyoko shook her head kindly and took the basket out of the other teenager's hands. "It'll be fine."

"It's okay." The other redhead picked the three flowers bruised and bent out of shape because of his mishap, and added them to the cluster of flowers sealed tightly in his other hand. "I should have enough money to pay for these."

Which was all of it. Tsuna's eyes widened in surprise as Enma took the largest and last bill out of his wallet and handed it to a hesitant Kyoko. She looked over to him in approval, and he couldn't say anything about it. With a silent agreement, Kyoko took the flowers out of his hand and proceeded toward the back while the other two waited at the counter.

"I could pay for it." The brunet frowned.

"It's my birthday gift. It's fine." Enma curled both hands into the straps of his backpack and looked to his best friend indifferently. "I brought enough money to last me for the weekend, and already have my ticket for the train tomorrow."

"Yeah but…" He sighed. There was no use arguing with Enma. "Giotto gave me enough money for breakfast. We can go to Yamamoto's sushi bar after this and get a discount."

Enma arched an eyebrow. "Have you been eating a lot of sushi since you moved here?"

U-Uh. "W-Well…" Y-Yeah. Cracking a grin, Tsuna pushed off the counter and turned around as Kyoko reappeared, bouquet in hand and wrapped in a plastic HAPPY BIRTHDAY bind.

"I hope whoever gets these flowers will like them, Kozato-san." She smiled genuinely as she handed the bouquet and change to Enma, then turned to Tsuna. "And I hope you have a good birthday, Tsuna-kun. I'll see you later at the party."

"Eh? You'll be at the party too?" Well, that was unexpected.

"Oops." She grinned as Enma wrapped a hand around his and pulled him toward the door. "Did I let that little detail slip?"

"C'mon," muttered Enma. "I'm hungry."

Without another word, they left the shop and went toward the direction of Yamamoto Sushi. Tsuna ran a hand through his hair. "What do you think she meant by 'little detail'?"

"Remember a few years back," said the redhead instead as he blindly lead them toward the sushi bar, "when Longchamp first transferred to Shimon and treated us to dinner because were the only ones that were nice to him?"

"Y…Yeah." Funny. He'd been thinking the same thing only a short while ago. Tsuna blinked in confusion. "Why?"

"That was when you decided to come out."

"'Come out'? You came out for me!" Though, that didn't make matters any better. Ever since then he'd been going through all of the theories and questioned how his best friend knew his preference before Tsuna did. The signs were as blatantly there as they obviously weren't. If that made sense.

"And you wouldn't have realized it if I hadn't pointed it out. I've always got your back." They suddenly stopped, and Tsuna noted they were only half a block away from Yamamoto's place. Petite fingers plucked at the unwanted, limp blossoms, and Enma crammed them in his pocket. "If…you've got mine."

So that was where it was going. The brunet took a better look at his friend and regarded what Giotto told him earlier this morning. He was in the middle of a growth spurt, and like the teenager had thought – so was his best friend. Two months ago neither would have been able to look at his brother without craning their necks. That…was two months ago. And then it hit him.

"I'm seventeen today." Tsuna blinked. Wow. _Wow. _

"You were never one who liked big parties," murmured the redhead quietly. He broke into a smile and tugged the other's wrist. "C'mon. I wasn't kidding when I said I was hungry."

"Y…Yeah. O-Oh, and Enma?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being my best friend." Tsuna blushed. "A lot."

Enma was as red as his hair. With a less-than-graceful step to the end of the block, he nodded back. "You're welcome."

OoOoO

"Has fog bubbled through your mind, little one?"

"Huh?" Takeshi snapped out of his thoughts, and immediately he looked around for his master. Music filled his ears, and the teenager's head jolted to the end of the sushi bar where Master Asari Ugetsu was peacefully playing his flute.

The swordsman stopped for a moment, eyes gleaming with amusement, and gestured from the large knife in Takeshi's hand to the bigger fish on the cutting board. "'Tis a good thing we are not in the middle of a lesson, is it not? I fear you were ready to cut a finger off."

"I…I…haha. Sorry." With a guilty smile, Takeshi continued peacefully with cutting the fish for sushi while his teacher set his flute on the table.

"Did something happen, little one?" It was kind of ironic, actually. Master Asari Ugetsu and he were the same height, even if when he started swordplay when he was no taller than the adult's hip. He loved it as much as he loved baseball. Maybe even more. "Certainly yesterday when I came to visit your father, you were in a far better mood."

"I finally told Gokudera that Mochida-senpai and I are going on a date next weekend." It was easy talking to Master Asari Ugetsu. Personally, Takeshi thought as his eyes focused only to the fish in front of him, his master understood him better than most people. Maybe even Gokudera.

His master…was the first person he talked to when he came to terms with his sexuality. After that, talking to his father was a piece of cake and it only took a few years before he proudly confessed it to most of the school. No one minded. No one cared. Half the girls were insanely depressed (he really wondered why his sexuality would be so bad for them) and the other half were extra enthusiastic and supportive.

"Oh?" So of course, his master was up-to-date with most – if not all – of his problems when it involved a certain childhood friend. "And how did he take it?"

"I thought he looked crushed." Takeshi shook his head in frustration and separated each slice once he was satisfied with his cuttings. He reached for the sticky rice and seaweed before idly wrapping rolls. "But he didn't say anything. And I want him to be happy – so I ignored it. He has Haru. And I asked Mochida-senpai out myself."

"And?"

"And…and up until this morning, I was perfectly okay with it." Takeshi froze, hands still grinding against the roll of sushi before a small sad smile spread across his lips. His stomach bubbled, heart pulsed, and like a second instinct the baseball player's mind flooded with thoughts of _him._

Hayato Gokudera.

Love was blind, said all of the cheesy soap operas he never watched. When most teenagers thought of love, it involved warm fuzzies, sweet touches, beautiful other halves and…

Mochida didn't make him feel complete.

Certainly, Gokudera cursed more than the spawn of a Viking and a pirate, and his glares stung as harshly as his punches, but…he was beautiful. The mixture of cigarette smoke and pomegranate that soaked the silver-haired teenager's clothes made Takeshi fuzzy and warm. Each punch was a sweet tingle; another touch and contact given from his childhood friend. Gokudera was Grumpy, and the baseball player supposed with all of the sarcastic comments he'd gotten since they were kids, he was a little Dopey following the other dwarf around.

Only, y'know, they were average height.

Master Asari Ugetsu's eyes shimmered with both serene interest and languid disapproval. "You didn't ask this Mochida out simply to make Hayato-kun jealous, did you? Playing around with the heart does not assure victory, little one."

"No, no!" Mochida was great! He was a third year for one thing, and gosh, he was on the varsity kendo team – _captain_ of all things – and said yes to _him! _But…he wasn't…Hayato…and…_gosh…_ Gokudera was so angry at him this morning… "I called him, and he had a hangover, I guess. So I told him I'd come over like I normally did to make him feel better. He seemed okay with the idea…and after I said I'd have to come back to plan Tsuna's party, he just told me, 'don't bother' and hung up."

"I see." Master's eyebrows knit together, frown spread across his lips. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That is quite the predicament. You say he does not get along with Tsuna-kun very well?"

"They've gotten along on a few occasions, haha." Takeshi cracked a reluctant grin, mind fluttering back to the few occasions where his best friend and new friend actually got along. Kozato, too, seemed like a really nice kid. It was a shame the redhead couldn't stay longer – he really brought the best out of Tsuna.

"I would say to get your mind sorted out as soon as possible, little one." Master Asari Ugetsu scolded him lightly, eyes narrowed with a small smile before a chuckle escaped his lips. "Whilst your father has been hired to cater G's party, you must help him and also coordinate the party for Giotto's little brother, correct?"

"Yup, haha." Yamamoto smiled thoughtfully and put aside the sushi for later. He grabbed a rag and began to wipe the counter. You and G-san are still living together, right Master? Why are you up so early?"

A mixture of amusement and sheepishness passed along the adult's face and he chuckled. "I suppose G is stressed at the thought of turning twenty-seven this year."

"Oh?"

"He…threw me out of the house because my newest composition was getting on my nerves."

"Oh! Gokudera did that to me once when I…accidentally batted the baseball into his microwave, haha." The teenager cracked a grin and pulled the apron off his body. He quickly checked his watch, and without fail, tufts of brown hair caught his eye as Tsuna entered the sushi bar. "Hi Tsuna. Ooh, Kozato! What's with the bouquet?"

The brunet looked up from his thoughts; nervous smile spread across his face and blushed. Takeshi couldn't help but chuckle. It'd become a daily ritual. Every morning before school Tsuna came for breakfast. Obviously he was reluctant, but neither Yamamoto cared. Tsuna was a guest!

"For G-san." With a weak smile, Kozato turned his head and was lost to the decorations adorning the restaurant. The baseball player shared a grin with his shorter friend and gestured to the plate of sushi readily made.

"Tsuna, this is my master, Asari Ugetsu." Takeshi cracked a grin as both friend and teacher greeted each other. "He's been teaching me the way of the sword since I was about eight years old."

"You…" The brunet squinted in surprise, head tilting to the side before his eyes widened. "You play poker with my brother on his days off."

"Once in a while," said his master. Oh? So they already knew each other! Go figure. Master Asari Ugetsu chuckled and patted the short teenager lightly on his head. "Not lately. I am the one who recommended Giotto and G to move to Namimori."

"Wow. A-And you teach Yamamoto the way of the sword?" Master Asari Ugetsu nodded. With eyes as wide as saucers, Tsuna turned his head in fascination to meet Takeshi's gaze. "S-So you finally found your knitting needles?"

Master Asari Ugetsu's smile faded into confusion. "I did not know you knitted, Takeshi-kun."

The brunet darkened and shrunk in his seat. "I mean…That's not…It's just…"

"It's an expression Tsuna and I use, haha." Takeshi laughed softly and pressed both hands to his hips. "Shucks, Tsuna. I've still got a long way to go before I can consider myself a swordsman."

Truth be told, it would all depend. Besides, swordplay was just a hobby. He didn't consider himself any good.

"B-But you've been training since you were eight, right?" Tsuna's eyes glimmered with protest and he timidly smiled. "I bet you're really good."

And there was that. Takeshi blinked in surprise, suddenly taking this thought into consideration, and tilted his head to the side. Tsuna's bluntness. Despite what the brunet recognized, it was one of his best qualities. Tsuna had a knack for saying things that – while seemingly inappropriate – inspired armies to gather. Tsuna's personality alone was enough to bring Takeshi up from his foul mood.

He smiled sheepishly from behind the counter as Kozato rejoined them. "Maybe, haha."

"Nonsense," Master Asari Ugetsu interjected, and he warmly chuckled. "You are at a level where I would consider you as a great opponent, Takeshi-kun. Do not take it lightly, and be proud of who you are."

"Really?" Takeshi cocked his head in the direction of his master curiously. He got a nod in return, and almost immediately, the baseball player respectfully bowed. Asari Ugetsu was one of his greatest influences while growing up. That compliment alone would fuel him for years to come. "Thank you, Master."

"At the Christmas festival," continued the adult. He turned his attention back to Tsuna with a keen smile. "While 'tis different from the real thing, sword dancing is another breathtaking art. Takeshi-kun and I do a performance every year. Giotto can take you, if you wish to truly see."

The uncertainty and shyness innate to Tsuna's essence surfaced, and red danced across his cheeks. "I-I would love to. If it's allowed and stuff."

"I'll even dedicate my performance to you." The taller teenager laughed and pulled up a chair to sit on. Somehow it only made the brunet blush harder, and he quickly noticed Kozato playfully nudge Tsuna in the arm. Tsuna nudged back and softly laughed. Takeshi watched in quaint interest, one tiny chuckle escaping his lips as they whispered to each other like two four-year-olds ready to steal cookies before dinner.

It was cute. And funny. And…hm, maybe even dwarfish.

"You don't have to dedicate the performance to me." The brunet shrugged uncertainly.

"I normally dedicate it to Gokudera." The 'G' name out in the open, Takeshi's stature drooped slightly, and he perked at the almost inaudible gulp Tsuna gave. "But it's been fun getting to know you all this time, haha. It's totally cool, Tsuna."

"But…I-I mean…u-uh…" Hah. So it _was _possible to blush darker than Kozato's hair. That was cool.

"It's a long time away." It was cute to see Tsuna flustered, but not the best idea so early in the morning. "But I won't be able to hang out with you today."

"Oh." The brunet suddenly saddened, eyebrows furrowed in disappointment as he tilted his head to the side. "Baseball practice?"

"I'm helping him make the sushi for G-san's birthday party, haha." The taller teenager genuinely grinned. "And I still have to buy your birthday gift."

Tsuna shrank in his seat. "Y-You don't have to…"

"Don't be silly, haha. I want to." With an apologetic grin, Takeshi stood up and gestured to the door behind him. "But I should probably start the preparations. G-san's parties always have so many people, and it's only me and my Pops who are working on it, haha."

"Sorry to be a bother then." Tsuna picked at what sushi was left over and looked over to Kozato, who'd occupied himself with breakfast.

"It's fine, haha. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

"Y…Yeah."

After saying his goodbyes, Takeshi eyed his master before disappearing for the freezer in the back room. He hummed, mind still boggled, but what choice did he have? With a lighthearted sigh, the tall teenager pulled out three frozen fish and set them in the sink. In three hours' time (hopefully), they would defrost and the Yamamoto men could continue making sushi.

Twelve hours from now, he hoped he could talk things over with Gokudera. Takeshi scratched his head, mouth contorting troublesomely. What would he say? _I'm sorry I moved on so I wouldn't freak you out anymore?_

Kozato's little wise words came to mind again, and his cheeks turned a humble shade of pink. _Gokudera-kun treasures you a lot. You're really close to getting him. _

How obvious, really, was the fact he was head-over-heels in love with his best friend?

Blind love, chided Takeshi lightly. Blind love, blind love, blind love.

Finally the tall teenager turned around, attention back to the front and he listed off all of the required ingredients. G loved yellowtail sushi, and Giotto adored tuna. Hm, that was something Tsuna and he had in common, actually. Master Asari Ugetsu had already left and…so had the other two boys.

Well, that was what he thought. He cocked his head at an obnoxiously loud sneeze, and with the politeness to say, "Bless you!" Takeshi found the pair standing parallel to G-san's Maserati Spyder.

"Sorry 'bout that," mumbled the adult. G sniffled and rubbed his nose, grimace spreading across his lips as he looked over to the flowers. "So—_a…achoo_!"

"Are you coming down with something?" Tsuna frowned and pressed a hand to the redheaded adult's forehead. Dubbing everything as fine, he let go, and Kozato was behind him, flowers still in hand.

Aw, poor Kozato. Takeshi smiled softly as he observed the scene. He'd gotten a firsthand experience on how timid the short teenager could be yesterday. Tsuna and he were alike to the bone.

"No…I…uh—_achoo_!" G groaned softly, and on instinct, the adult leaned into the driver's seat. Hmm? Why did Kozato keep flinching whenever G looked at the flowers? "Those flowers are beautiful, Enma-kun, but I think I might be—_a-achoo!" _

"Allergic to them?" Tsuna sounded panicked.

"Yeah. A-_Achoo_!" That being said, the two boys shared a look of disappointment while G ran a hand through his hair. "Who are they for?"

Wait, weren't those a gift for G-san in the first place? That was bad. Finally, the tall teenager intervened, one laugh escaping his lips as he put a hand on Kozato's shoulder. The redheaded teenager immediately tensed, and Tsuna's grip on his arm tightened slightly.

"For me, haha." Takeshi cracked a grin as Enma gave him a look of confusion. "We're thinking of decorating the sushi bar to attract more customers. Daffodils are a little cheesy, but I think it'll draw in a lot of female customers."

G blinked, then he laughed. "_Nice._ You're thinking about the female demographic when it comes to sushi. I'm proud to call you a businessman, Takeshi-kun. By all means, research the ratio of customers and what you have to do in order to increase your sales pitch. _A…achoo_! But…do me a favor and find a different flower. Otherwise I'll have to drive a fucking hour all the way to Shibuya to buy some half-decent sushi."

"You got it." Takeshi grinned.

"S…" Kozato ducked his head guiltily while the taller teenager slipped the bouquet out of his hand. "Sorry."

"What?" Suddenly, G-san looked incredibly distraught, and Takeshi watched in confusion as the adult jolted up, concern falling upon his features as he shook his head. "N…no, you're…fine, kid. I mean…_A…achoo!_"

"You look like you'll break out in hives at any second," Tsuna said with unease. He grabbed his best friend's hand, frown spread across his lips as he gave it a comforting squeeze. Aw, poor Kozato. "It'll be a bad idea if we're in the car with you the whole day because of it."

"Nah. _A…achoo_!" G sniffled and crinkled his nose. "I'll deal with it."

"Th-Then at least Enma or me drive." Eh? Tsuna had his license already? Immediately the brunet blushed and he looked over to the horrified Enma. Oh, that was right, G's car was a two-seater. "Enma probably still has the pollen from the flowers on him, s-so it wouldn't be a good idea if you're sneezing on the road…"

"If I can drive for six hours drunk, I can drive in intervals of fifteen minutes sneezing. _Achoo!_" Hm, that made a lot of sense.

"Th-That doesn't even make sense!" If possible, Tsuna's voice raised five octaves.

But not a second too soon, the brunet quickly lost his argument. Kozato tugged at his arm, and the pair scooted into the car right next to G. Thankfully with their size, fitting into one seat wasn't much of a problem.

G sneezed again. Was that concerning? Takeshi wasn't sure anymore. The adult grimaced groggily before raising his head and meeting the cheerful Takeshi's gaze. "Cheer Hayato up for me, would you? The kid snapped at me whenever I visited him this morning."

Like he knew what to do. "You got it, haha."

With a few words of sneeze-filled goodbyes, G restarted his car and they were off.

"Oh," Takeshi said once the realization hit him, "and happy birthday, G-san!"

OoOoO

So there was this saying that penguins were like little men in tuxedos.

Did that make Tsuna a big penguin? He certainly looked like one.

Giotto cracked a grin as he laughed at one of his American colleague's jokes. At the moment, he couldn't care less what Thomas said. However, his adorable little brother was sitting awkwardly by his best friend and sharing timid jokes.

The blond adult rubbed his chin thoughtfully and observed Tsuna. Loyalty was one of his best qualities.

But honestly, Tsuna's only bad quality was his submissiveness. There were many times where Giotto knew he had to play the role of parent if his little brother misbehaved, and the little guy already knew what he did wrong. The same went with Enma. Quite honestly…they were just oddballs. A pair of oddballs who were sitting together, and appeared content to be by themselves. They talked. A lot.

The little bite-size was quite possibly one of Tsuna's sweetest friends. Their conversation earlier this morning came to mind while Thomas wandered elsewhere. Giotto was worried with the bits and pieces of Tsunas confession, and he wanted to find out more about the red munchkin. Enma was a full-blooded Italian. So why on _earth_ did his last name imply something different?

Hmm. He would have to look in on it later – and possibly put Alaude's PhD in forensics to good use. Enma appeared somewhat fluent to his native tongue, but Japanese got a better hold on him. Their conversation alone was enough to acknowledge how the younger stumbled.

Giotto snapped out of his thoughts when someone tapped on his shoulder. Immediately he flashed a grin and raised his glass of wine. "Birthday Boy. Or man. Should I call you a geezer?"

Ooh. Geezer started with a G. how fitting.

"Very funny." His best friend arched an eyebrow, obviously disapproving of Giotto's sense of humor before he looked around in concern. "Have you seen Hayato or Takeshi-kun anywhere? I saw them at the gate, and they've been gone for at least an hour now."

Hmm, an hour? Man, that kid must have had some stamina. Giotto rubbed his chin. "Takeshi-kun came up to me asking for a hotel key. I think he dragged Hayato-kun with him a little bit later."

Suddenly the expression of the redhead's face contorted, and G looked positively mortified. "Giotto! You gave a minor a hotel key, _unsupervised_?"

"The age of consent is thirteen." Giotto idly shook his drink and waddled his finger. "And Takeshi-kun is a good kid. You worry too mu—I wonder who that is." From the corner of his eye, the blond caught sight of the third redhead of this evening. She was a pretty little thing – dainty and princess like with short hair styled like any teenaged girl these days.

"This is a joint birthday with Reborn's, isn't it?" Giotto shivered. Reborn always knew how to crawl under his skin. G, unaffected, continued. "His students are scattered here and there. That's Kyoko; she's a classmate of theirs."

"Ah." They made a cute couple. Giotto observed quietly as she giggled and pulled Tsuna to his feet. The other teenager blushed, and they staggered onto the dance floor.

"That's puppy love if you've ever seen it," G mused. "They're good for each other."

Eh, maybe. Oddly enough he felt a little pity for his brother. Tsuna was shyly enjoying himself, but not to his fullest. Wow. Giotto inwardly smacked himself and wondered when he became so protective to the point giving his brother away to someone else felt horribly wrong.

Finally the music stopped, and once it did, Tsuna's eyes tore away from Kyoko's to meet his gaze. Giotto blinked and mouthed a pleasant hello. His brother turned red.

"I think it's your turn to ask the little one out." Giotto gestured to Enma before audibly hearing his best friend shiver.

"No matter what I do I can't get him to like me." G ran a hand through his hair and frowned. "I have a feeling you're to blame."

"The last thing I want is for you to be the reason Tsuna's friends don't visit as often as they should." The blond shook his head in disapproval, and they watched as the couple parted. Kyoko went off, this time to ask Enma onto the dance floor, and Tsuna came in their direction. "Enma-kun is a good kid."

G smirked. "You've certainly become quite the softie."

"I suppose." Giotto grinned back, fervent pink sheepishly dancing across his face before he nudged his head in Bianchi's direction. "She's been hanging over Reborn all night, but perhaps you could get her attention too. Hayato-kun might be delighted if you two get back together."

"Or horrified." The redhead did what he was told and sauntered off to a different part of the ball room. Turning his attention back, Giotto met eyes with his brother and immediately sensed his trouble.

"Happy Birthday." The second those words left his lips, Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts and up to his brother in surprise. Giotto arched an eyebrow before tossing the pair of pants and ripped up teddy bear Kyouya had deposited earlier this evening. "Well, _early_ birthday, I suppose. I've been told these are yours."

"O…Oh. Th-Thanks." The brunet blushed and – _heh, _what's black, white, and red all over? A blushing Tsuna in a tuxedo. Too cute.

Giotto chuckled softly and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Alaude was angry at him for taking so long to get them back. From what I know, Kyouya only gets involved when it involves the middle school. So, what's wrong?"

"When did you first realize you were gay?" Silence. Then – "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask that s-so loudly, a-and I kinda blurted it out, a-and—don't hurt me!" Tsuna lit up like Rudolph's red nose, and he squirmed under his elder brother's gaze.

All the while, the blond stared at him in amusement and tilted his head to the side. "You wanna try that again?"

"I-I'm just…I-I mean…" If possible, Tsuna was disappearing from his gaze as the young boy trembled with fear. Finally the brunet took a deep breath, and he stood high, one hand on his chest as he nervously rethought his words. "When did you erm, come to terms with your sexuality?"

"First of all, I'm completely homosexual." And he was trying hard not to laugh. Giotto hummed lightly, hand stroking his chin as the horrid tale wandered back into his thoughts. He smiled awkwardly and looked carefully to Tsuna's body movements. "And I had a girlfriend – Marisol. She…wasn't exactly like the girl you were just dancing with, but she was my first love. When the time came to push our relationship and take it to the next level, we couldn't."

Chocolate brown eyes widened with innocent curiosity. "Wh-Why not?"

Giotto snorted. "I couldn't get it up."

"Couldn't…"

"Get it up." The story didn't bother him anymore. He was able to stare that memory in the face – of how they had the perfect dinner by the moonlight, when Dino personally allowed him to take his car out (even though he got his permit only a day or two before), and they exchanged "I love you"'s. But the harder Giotto tried, the less likely it seemed they'd be making love. She was ready, but he wasn't.

"What do you mean by that?"

Apparently his brother was more naïve than he gave credit for. He eyed the brunet, fiery orbs wry and disbelieving at his naivety. "You really don't know what I'm talking about?"

Fortunately, his suspicion was confirmed. Tsuna relaxed under his gaze, nervousness and little twitches aside before he played with the sleeve of a blazer far too big for him. "I-I…I guess I have one thought."

"Ah. Then you're most likely right." Giotto smiled lightly as his brother turned dark red. "It was a long time ago. Don't worry too much – I've had over ten years to get over my embarrassment."

"_Ten years_?" His supposed first time was when he was fourteen. Unfortunately as it'd been put, it never happened. Again, his brother's eyes widened before he awkwardly shifted between his feet with his eyebrows furrowed. "S-Sorry if I'm a little surprised."

"I don't see why you would be."

"It's just…" Tsuna looked up shyly and hesitantly smiled. "You're always so cool and know what to do. S-Sometimes I forget that you're only human."

Well, he didn't expect that. Did he mention Tsuna's honesty was another one of his great qualities? With a firm smile and a wry laugh, Giotto shook his head. "You're giving me too much credit. If I was as cool as you say I am, then I would have gotten to know you rather than harass you when we started living together."

"Th-That's what makes you human. And I didn't give you the benefit of the doubt either when we started living together." Giotto blinked. Tsuna continued, face red and smile timid. "Sorry."

"No." Giotto smiled back and chuckled softly. "Thank you."

"Y-You're welcome."

"So I take it this means you swing the other way?" If he pieced the bits together and tried to come up with a logical explanation, it made sense. Giotto examined his brother carefully for a reaction and continued. "You're gay, not straight?"

The brunet blushed pink, but said nothing. For an entire minute Giotto watched as his brother stood guilty, like he'd been caught red-handed with a cookie jar. Finally, the teenager opened his mouth to speak, an—

"Tsuna-kun."

They turned their heads unison. The little girl from before, Kyoko, tugged at Tsuna's sleeve with a petite smile. With an unceremonious yank, she collapsed their arms and leaned into his heat. Giotto watched his brother's expression shift from nervousness to discomfort before he struggled with a smile.

"Y-Yeah…?"

"Yamamoto-kun has a surprise for you in one of the hotel room."

"Oh. I was wondering where he went off to all evening." Only a second later, the teenager relaxed under Kyoko's grasp before looking to Giotto in confusion. Apparently, Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun _weren't_ doing the horizontal tango. "U-Um, do you mind?"

"Go ahead. We won't cut the cake or anything for another hour." Giotto smiled tenderly. "Tell the red munchkin I said hi."

"O…okay." Without another word, the couple headed toward the elevator. The last thing Giotto saw of his brother was one quick and affirmative nod before they disappeared behind twin doors.

OoOoO

The walk up to the hotel room was silent. Tsuna curled his hand into a fist as Kyoko leaned into him, and awkwardly stuffed it in his pocket. Immediately he was reminded of the stench of her perfume, and how the scent of vanilla couldn't be any more overwhelming.

In one hand he held both his pants and Rossella, and the other was occupied by his classmate. I-It wasn't like he minded…m-much. But…

Wasn't this something a girl and a boy did when they were dating? Even if he was interested in girls – and he hoped Giotto got his message loud and clear that he wasn't – Kyoko was way out of his league. She was smart, pretty and funny. There wasn't a guy alive at school who wouldn't do anything for her, and for some reason, she was being nice to _him._

Which was bad. Very bad.

"What have Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun been up to?" Actually, he didn't think he wanted that answered. Tsuna paled at the thought, face twisting in worry before Kyoko-chan flashed him a sweet smile. As they stepped out the elevator, his heart beat faster and faster.

Reborn had told them this week that his birthday was on Saturday. Shockingly enough, the Spartan teacher didn't let it slip that so was Tsuna's. Most, if not all of his classmates were invited, and none of them were seen at the party. Even Enma had disappeared.

"You'll see." Kyoko shared a playful smile as she swiped the key card.

Sparklers, confetti, and 'hip-hip-hoorays' exploded into applause all at once.

Tsuna covered his eyes from the light and he flinched, almost hiding behind Kyoko as he heard his name called out over and over, with one obvious exclamation: "SURPRISE!"

Party balloons, all in cheesy clusters and obviously stolen from the party, littered the ceiling. The bed was pulled out, and once he opened his eyes again, it was obvious the hotel room was only lit because of seventeen candles sparking happily on a large birthday cake. A banner up front was pulled out, held by at least twenty or thirty kids and it took Tsuna a minute to realize they were all his classmates and then some.

It took him two to figure out they were singing, _Happy Birthday to Dear Tsuna. _

"Wh-What's this?" Somewhere in the mix, Tsuna forgot how to speak. He looked around the room again, and in the very corner was a large stack of neatly wrapped boxes and tissue-filled gift bags.

Yamamoto was first to greet him with a grin. "Haha, I told you we'd have a birthday party for you. It was short noticed, but we grabbed some of the decorations from the party downstairs."

"Yamamoto-kun coordinated it all." Kyoko smiled genuinely next to him, and Tsuna looked through the crowd for his best friend. "But we got all of the news yesterday." Lightly, she scolded, "You really should have told us yesterday it was your birthday, Tsuna-kun."

"I-I…" Tsuna turned red for the millionth time that night. His eyes widened in shock, and he looked around the room yet again until he settled in the middle, where Enma sat under. "I didn't want to…I-I mean…"

"Four hours until your birthday ends." The redhead smiled softly and gestured to the candles. "Someone has to celebrate it."

"I…" The brunet shut his eyes, and the aroma of cake and vanilla perfume filled his nostrils. With another hesitant blush, Tsuna looked up and tugged at his sleeve. "Th…thanks, everyone."

Enma laughed. "Make a wish, Tsuna."

Fresh and shock still on his mind, the birthday boy did what he was told. Chocolate orbs wandered about the room, taking each smiling face into consideration before he closed his eyes and thought out a wish.

That day, October 14th, seventeen-year-old Tsuna blew out his candles. But he doubted any wish could top such a perfect birthday.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

It's been. Three. Weeks. And omigod. I'm busy up until December, and even then I have exams, so bear with slow updates, please? Don't beg? On the other hand…I love you guys so much. I was so scared I'd end up killing off reviewers, but gosh, you make me feel special. Hehe. MY BIRTHDAY IS IN TWO AND A HALF WEEKS. Man, I'm young. Er. Old. Whatever. Anyway, to answer a few things. Thanks for being so sweet, and don't worry about that fan too much. I haven't been bothered lately. Sorry to rant in the first place.

This chapter is a little…meh. The quality is bad since I just wanted to get an update in, and I feel his birthday's dragging. Oh well. Oh – and a thing about daffodils – they're meant for someone if you're grateful, but they can also stand for unrequited love. Harhar. You guys are taking G00 a lot better than expected - and I have a present for you I'm in the middle of finishing. That, and I know just what to draw for copycat-capycot. Hehe.

_Please_ don't PM me asking when the next update is if I take more than a week or two to put an update in, and _please_ bear with the gap. I started school on Thursday and already have homework. And practice. Anyway, that is my only rant and…well, see you guys next time!

Results:

**1. Recurring Nightmare**

**2. Masked Hatter**

**3. kikyokyoyahibari **

**4. Cattwo28 **

**5. copycat-capycot**

Technically. I never said you couldn't enter the competition. And technically. That means Cattwo28 won over copycat-capycot. WOOSHAH.


	13. complications and denial

**sender unknown **b'aww. **Lireach **She's got some shoujo tendencies, actually. xD But it's not a bad thing. **Nimbiose **I like trying to find a new way to title my chapters with each new story. Heehee. And yeah, I don' think I've actually called a guy "hot" in this story yet. xD I'm glad you brought up Tsuna's personality. The thing about it is, I'm willing to agree that he's a submissive character, but you can't automatically label him "uke", make him cry at every scene, and absolutely useless. He's got those quirks in his personality, you know? I hate the seme/uke system. Entirely. **Mistee **8027 is actually one of the unintentional things that happened in here. But it works out well, eh? Haha. **copycat-capycot **I'm in the middle of filling out an mpreg meme for those two. It's kinda funny. xD **Mirriox **It's funny how it's a crack pairing, yet everyone adores it. xD But I guess I built their characters enough to make them likeable as a couple. Yaaay, me. :D **ToniChanLovesCookies **Unfortunately I've got some heavy school work, haha. This chapter was hard to write alone, since it was like a gap between what's in the next chapter and the last chapter. xD The thing about G27…it shall shock you. That's all I can say. **FaerieDemon **Reborn needs to make an appearance soon. Like, srsly. And Giotto and Reborn just have to talk. Like, Giotto gets the willies every time he thinks of him. I think it's time Tsuna sees why. Haha. **LivingGlow **Nah. It's one of those things, where a friend gives you something and is like, "Happy Early Birthday" even though it's not your birthday. Does that make sense? I do it to my friends all the time; and Giotto did it without realizing it was Tsuna's birthday. xD **The RPers HELL group. **Yaaay Rabbits. : D** Garden of Everything **I remember when I first read this review. It made me all smiley inside for the rest of the day. xD So I'll see if I can counter it with a good reply. I'm glad you really like the story, and I think one of my favorite parts that always gets a laugh out of me is, an hour before I update, someone puts this story on alert. Then I update, and it's like, "OHSHII—here we go again!" Honestly, I get a lot of comments on how my writing is different from other writers, especially from my friends, but I just write what's in my head. Every other story I read, I wonder, "Why can't I write something as firm as that?" Since it's pretty much my thoughts on a page, I always think it's jumbled. xD Enma will be fun to talk about, but sadly, he won't be back until Christmas. What I love so much is people are saying how much they adore Enma and at the same time in the very same sentence, they want to throttle him in the manga. xD You're the first person to comment about the subtleties, so I'm glad you picked 'em up. It always makes me happy when readers notice the really minor things. People say I portray the guardians differently with different personalities, but I can honestly see Tsuna's guardians acting like Giotto's guardians when they're a lot older. xD Gokudera would be calmer, Yamamoto would be a bit wiser, and Hibari is…well, I don't know, actually. I think Alaude's personality is just like him, lmao. I've got plans for all of the characters, so don't worry. AND TSUNA. OMIGOD, TSUNA. I know I just gave my two cents like, two replies ago, but I'm serious about this one. I'll even italicize it. _Just because Tsuna has a shy personality DOES NOT MEAN HE IS OVERLY UKE, CRIES, AND IS COMPLETELY USELESS. _I don't read a lot of stories that involve 27, especially because of how people depict his personality. For crying out loud, he _knows_ how to do things. D: And I'm with you on that psychological standpoint – that's what I think about whenever I write stories. When I'm writing a first point of view story, I try to think of words that that particular person would use. Giotto was a little harder to write, honestly, because I wasn't quite sure on his personality to begin with. It spawns and changes, so I'm testing my boundaries before he reaches OOC-ness. Gokudera's homophobia…I really love it in this story, and I want to do another one on it, that focuses mainly on 8059. No lie. xD But I doubt it'd get a lot of readers. Yamamoto is Yamamoto. Someone commented earlier that he was OOC since he always seemed so heartbroken, but right now he's a work in progress. Xanxus and Squalo…well, I'll just leave it at that. xD Giotto and Tsuna's little talks always make me giggle. They're so fun to write and imagine. PS: I think it's so funny that FF cut off your review. Haha. And I would love you forever if you drew me fanart. C: **xRynnX **Mukuro and Fran totally slipped my mind when I wrote that. Oddly enough, I think I was reading His Royal Highness Owns a Frog when I was writing it. xD Giotto threatened Tsuna and he went too far, basically. By the time he realized what he did wrong, it was too late and Tsuna never told. I'm so sorry about your diabetes D: I hope this chapter makes your day too! **Niwasae **I love you! **StaplerPrincessofDoom **Hot damn. I love that phrase. Haha. Giotto just…when he isn't in business mode, he just cracks me up. xD G doesn't really have Tsuna's birthday. I made it up. c': Eh, I wouldn't label Hibari tsundere. xD But I don't really do labels, either. If I ever write a D18, maybe it'll come out right. **marialeiah **Aww, thanks. :D GUESS WHAT. I'M SIXTEEN NOW. -cough- **Lenah-1827 **Nah, he doesn't know about Tsuna's birthday. Dust Storm (acoustic) – Spill Canvas, Inevitable – Anberlin, Crush'd – Say Anything** captivated fairy **Sorry. Only 2700 friendship in this story. c': **NeoGene **Nicer! **milostudio **Gokudera didn't really have a role in this chapter. I dunno why, but he just didn't fit in. xD And thanks! **Kanberry **It is. Giotto's just making a funny. c': **InfinityOnTheRun **I flipped it by accident. Lmao. AND I KNOW. WHERE ARE ALL THE WOMEN, HOT DAMMIT? **luna faith90 **You'll have to wait and see!~**xxxKimi-chan **What I love about G00 is the fact G always says the wrong thing, and Enma always thinks it's his fault. xD It's so cute. **Seriyuu **I find it funny that we've gone more than 100K and Gokudera and Tsuna are still on bad terms. xD They'll have roles in this story (Hibari and Mukuro), but at the moment they don't fit in. Chrome's been mentioned, but it was way earlier. **qqsha **it's two in the morning, man. Idk if I can get another full review out of me. xD Anyway, Giotto just strikes me as the type of person who _likes_ getting into trouble. and G…gosh, I love G. In all honesty, I _do_ think he's like a nagging wife and Giotto's just sitting there going, "Blah, blah, blah…" Bianchi. Hm. Well, Bianchi's flirting is like how Giotto can't drive to save his life. I think it's one of those quirks about her characters, and honestly, if she didn't, I'd probably ask, "Why are you even here?" She's not my favorite character, but I think she's fine. c': Just…just read the G00 part in the last chapter. You'll love me for this chapter. xD I know you will. In the last chapter, it explains why Nana wasn't allowed to adopt Tsuna. I don't actually know the legal system in Japan, but basically, Tsuna and Lambo are her illegitimate children, and the government saw her unfit to take care of another child. c': Gokudera just makes me love him. xD He's actually refreshing from the other characters. And as for Yamamoto's date…you'll have to wait and see. **An anonymous Fangirl **Junjou Terrorist beats them. I think Enma is safe. c': **Chiri-tan **I think out of any of the characters, Giotto would be first to admit that he's homosexual, just by his nature, haha. xD **Fire Princess21 **Thanks for telling me happy birthday! That was sweet, so I'll say happy birthday to you, too! C: **Breathless02 **Busy, busy, busy. C: And PATIENCE, CHILD. Because…well, I'm hungry. D; **Ophianara Blade **YAY FOR LOVE. **gracefulsunshine **I love my marching band. c': And nah. I bribe my brother all the time. xD And idk. All of the dates are confusing as is in this story, so I don't really care anymore, haha. **VongolaPrimo27 **Oh dear, yes, you did. xD GOGO. READ AGAIN. **HetChrome **G00 is very much crack-ish. xD I love how everyone is so obsessed with it though. G27 is scheduled to come soon, actually. Very soon. **derorrim **THAT'S WHAT I LOVE ABOUT G00, OMG. Giotto…I swear. He just…I love him. xD I skimmed that for a second, and thought it said, "I get tired of this story." Then read the rest of it and was like, "Oh, nvm. :'D" **kikyokyoyahibari **I forgot about his gloves. No lie. But that means I get to come up with a reasonable excuse for it, lmao. And you'll have to wait and see. **yamiatemyugi **Delaying stories for a year? xD If I don't update for a while, I usually lose interest in a story, haha. **Phil **Aw, you're so sweet. C: **FalseMoon **Why does everyone think Giotto's jealous in every little moment? xD I always try making his jealousy subtle and end up thinking I failed so hard. I know I'm evil. xD Now read this chapter and tell me if I'm _still_ evil. :'D **PoisonedMemoir **I hate OCs. End of story. xD The side pairings take up a lot of the story, but mostly because their progression has already happened/is happening while Giotto and Tsuna are still trying to get there. c: **mangarox14 **I laugh at how it's been 100k and OMIGOD. GOKUDERA STILL HATES TSUNA'S GUTS. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Haha I hate getting begged. I hate people who don't read the author's notes. I hate when they review twice asking why I haven't updated yet, or even PM me about it. xD G doesn't have the same birthday, not that I know of. But I made it that way since Reborn wasn't all that important just yet. c': Enma and Gokudera, I think they're easy to look forward to because they're not in the "brother" stage. xD And yeah, I know my grammar's off at times. I slack off at times when I beta, so it's not always my best work, but eh. If I had true time to beta, this story would be a kajillion times better. D8 **Twilight Emo Wind Goddess 801 **B'aww. c': **michico1243 **Haha! September 1st! **Metamorcy **Psst, psst. I updated. You should like, update. Nudge nudge, hint hint. ;D Enma is so OOC in this story. It honestly makes me laugh. xD The portrayal of each of the characters is different – I'm glad they don't seem OOC though. Or at least, I think that's what you mean. Haha. **Fleeting x Mortality **I love how people take in G00 so wholeheartedly. It's pretty funny. xD I'm tempted to make a long story just for you guys, but I don't think it'd get a lot of readers. The smut is a lot later, but it's sweet. I originally wanted to make fun of yaoi manga, but it kinda took a leap with my own pet peeves and has it's own personality now. xD So, thanks. And as for Giotto's guardians…honestly, I just like…imagined what Tsuna's guardians would be like, ten years later, with a little twist. I'm glad you guys like 'em though. **–Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **I'm –insert-age-here- Aheehe. This chapter's sort…but I wouldn't call it rushed. c': HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

**chapter thirteen has **complications and denial.

Giotto wasn't a morning person. The earliest he had ever gotten up was for school, and even then he was never out of bed until around eleven or twelve – in other words, by the time half of his day was over. Eventually his parents got frustrated, and even after insisting he would grow out of it, the school principal displayed concerns and irritation to Giotto's bad habits. After what one could consider a bribe, Mr. and Mrs. Vongola decided Giotto would simply go to school on his own accord and have the best tutors in the business work his ass off until dawn.

After all, if he was going to sleep in late (which was more of disturbing instinct and stubborn lifestyle than a flimsy habit), then the youngest son (at the time) to the Vongola Family needed a good reason as to why.

Through the years after unsuccessful attempts of getting Giotto up at the crack of dawn rather than forcing him asleep, Giotto would wake up around nine without the need of more than three cups of coffee to jumpstart his day. Tsuna changed that. He'd never brought it up, but the fact his little brother managed to get him out of bed before 8:30AM was a record. G would applaud.

The funny thing was, he didn't _mind_ waking up early anymore. When the brunet first came to his house, he was still grasping the concept of having a little brother. It started on the first day after Tsuna appeared the night before, and Giotto'd woken up stubbornly to see if Tsuna needed anything. Granted, he'd immediately go back to sleep, but the few seconds where his instincts went crazy, he'd deciphered the many irritating sounds of the morning to be…his brother. Getting out of his bathroom. After the shower curtain was ripped open, the brunet got into the habit of leaving early in the morning.

Then promptly, Giotto went back to sleep without a care.

Eventually it changed, and he struggled every morning to force himself awake to, at latest, hear the door shut when Tsuna left for school.

The morning after G's birthday party was no different. The pair rented out the hotel for their friends and business partners, and Giotto woke up to the sounds of the bathroom door closing. His head pounded with events from the night before, and through bleary eyes Enma could be seen on the bed.

7:37AM. Had it been any other person, Giotto would have murdered them before getting back to sleep. Tsuna was apparently in the bathroom brushing his teeth and Enma was packing up the last of his clothes. The redhead was leaving today.

Giotto had pushed himself off the bed, rolled to his feet, and blindly grabbed his keys – before telling them to wake up G to drive them to the train station. And even early in the morning, the little red munchkin found a way to make Giotto crack a grin.

An hour and a half later – nearly twenty minutes before Enma's departure – a cranky G had driven them to the bus station. His redhead, best friend at that, was notorious for having horrid hangovers and being incredibly giddy when drunk.

Tsuna apologized for having to take them, and G sarcastically snapped. Enma deteriorated, and the blond declared even this early, it was quite possibly the best he'd ever started the morning after his best friend attempted to calm him down.

G sneezed after the boys went into the souvenir shop. The blond turned his head, one cup of coffee fresh in his hands as he arched a playful eyebrow. "Catching a cold, are we?"

"Maybe," said the adult. He'd been paling and sneezing since the car ride, but it left the blond confused. Giotto himself was sensitive to sickness, but G rarely got sick. In fact, he thought wholesomely as G crinkled his nose, it was more like G was—

The boys came back from the souvenir shop only minutes before loading. Giotto looked up, eyes warily connecting with his brother's. Tsuna looked back, cheeks pink and guilty, while he tugged at Enma's hand.

"Did you like your party last night?" Giotto asked while waiting for the boys to walk up to them.

"It was nice." G ran a hand through his hair, tone congested as he directed a gaze to the train. "I've got one hell of a hangover but, damn, it was worth it. Bianchi decided to make me cookies."

"I thought she was bad at cooking." Which was true. Bianchi's cooking alone made Giotto's stomach flip, and he shivered in discomfort. Gorgeous thing. Long, stunning magenta hair, a pair of lips as full as the moon itself and eyes that wrapped any man around her finger. But she couldn't cook. Quite frankly, Giotto suspected it was one of the reasons why they divorced.

"But I've never known her to give a man she hated _cookies._" G chuckled softly after blowing his nose and offered a wry smile. "We're on good terms. Otherwise I'd never see Hayato again."

"You're a good big brother."

"So are you."

Giotto blinked, taking in the statement before offering a short laugh. G gleamed with sincerity, eyes honest in speculation as the blond leaned into his best friend. "Who would have ever thought I would end up taking care of a kid?"

"You're doing a good job," G said simply. "He'd had the brightest smile I'd ever seen yesterday."

"I don't exactly know if that's _my_ doing." With a tug of his lips, Giotto gestured to Enma. A weight tugged his heart, and the blond watched as the young pair took longer, slower strides to make importance of their last few seconds.

Suddenly, G frowned. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "That kid doesn't like me."

"Oh?"

"I dunno," admitted the redhead. He sniffled, wiping small bits of mucus away from his nostrils before leaning into his best friend. "You would think a businessman that's negotiated hundreds of companies to work with us would get a smile out of him."

"You're out of touch with your alien heritage."

"Oh, shut up. _Achoo_!"

"Are you still not feeling well, G-san?" Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed as he and Enma approached the two adults. Chocolate orbs glazed in concern as they reached Giotto's gaze, and he hesitated to say anymore.

"G has bad hangovers," Giotto said simply. He turned his head, focus on Enma, and felt a tightening in his stomach. They locked eyes, and the blond's thoughts resurfaced. Enma's hair was incredibly mussied. His shoulders remained hunched, lips pulled into a loose, submissive expression, but Giotto had never seen such ferocity in those scarlet orbs.

He bit his lip for a second, attention turned to how tightly his brother's hand was interlocked with Enma's, and had never felt so irritated. Letting Enma go was like throwing a newborn into the ocean and expecting it to swim. But it was odd.

Little Bite-Sized simply looked up, eyelashes fluttering yonder as he raised his head, and the teenager timidly took a step forward. Without hesitation, Enma held a hand out while squeezing the strap of his backpack with the other. "Thank you. For having me."

Giotto blinked before smiling. "No problem. You can come back anytime you want."

Pink lips curtsied nervously just as a fervent blush fluttered across the teenager's cheeks. He rocked back and forth on his feet before weakly looking over to his best friend. "I'll hold you to that."

"You'd better," he heard his brother muttering. Suddenly, and uncharacteristically as he'd never seen, the very same brunet tugged at Enma's arm. Giotto recollected his thoughts, watching as Tsuna pushed one best friend into the other.

"Whoa!" With less than little grace, Enma collided into G's form. Taken aback, the older redhead instinctively grabbed onto the poor boy's shoulder as he squeaked, and tightly held him. "_A…Achoo!" _

"If you were going for a light nudge, you were sadly mistaken." Giotto cracked a grin as he watched his disorientated best friend snap out of his stupor and Enma deteriorate under the many gazes. Tsuna turned pink.

Enma, on the other hand, turned red.

"You okay?" G sniffled and grabbed a handkerchief out of his pocket. He grimaced and ran a hand through his hair. "_Achoo_!"

"Sorry…"

"N…No…you're fi…_a…achoo_!"

"Just what are you up to, little brother?" Giotto arched an eyebrow of amusement. When he didn't get a response, realization hit him. The blond turned his head ever-so slowly to the sight of Tsuna turning bright pink again. The brunet shrugged bashfully.

"H-Hopefully something good."

"This is for you." As G sneezed again, Enma reached into his pocket, eyes darting everywhere but the man's face. Flowers were bunched up in his hands; ripped, tattered and looking as if they'd been taken out of a wad. Apricot blossoms. Giotto looked between the pair, and the blush fluttered across the boy's face in an adorable, rosy hue. "They got ruined by accident."

His gaze fell to the ground, knees locked and hands trembling. G looked positively stunned. Nose red from sneezing constantly early that morning, he took the blossoms and scrutinized them. "These are for me."

It sounded like he was talking to himself rather than Red Munchkin over there. The poor kid darkened, face melting into a deep scarlet as he nodded. "H…Happy birthday."

"They're nice." G cracked a tired grin and fingered each blossom. "I'll have Asari teach me how to flower-press to keep these safe."

Apparently, Tsuna wasn't the only one who could discover a new shade of red every ten seconds with his face alone. "You don't have to."

"I want to." With a genuine smile, G sneezed a last time. "Thanks. It was nice meeting you, Enma-kun."

Like a small child unwrapping a gift, Enma's eyes widened incredulously. He backed up and stumbled, only to be saved by Tsuna. "I…I think I have to go now."

"Bye, Enma." The brunet's eyes flickered sadly. Giotto watched, stomach churning and heart weighed down as the pair hugged. A look of distraught glimmered in his brother's face, and finally they parted as Enma made way to the train.

He turned one last time, lips strung from cheek-to-cheek with a child's appeal. Giotto'd never seen a more relieved face. "Bye."

With no other word, the redheaded teenager hopped onto the train and the trio waited until they left. Not a word could be heard as Enma's ride home left through the tunnel, and the early morning was deafen—

"Eh? G-G-san! Wh-why do you look so pale?"

Oh yeah. Giotto burst into a fit of laughter as he turned his head and watched his best friend hold onto his birthday gift tightly. The look on his face said it all, and the blond caught his best friend as he swayed to the left.

"Considering how thoughtful the gift, G would never throw it away. But," Giotto concluded with amusement as G let out a fatal sneeze, "he actually has a _horrible_ allergy to apricot blossoms."

OoOoO

"Hello."

"H…Hi."

Asari Ugetsu flashed a brief smile as he watched his roommate's charge standing in his hallway. Without missing a beat, he picked up the bottle of water sitting quietly on the coffee table before tossing it casually to Hayato-san.

With grace, the young man caught it in one hand and lead to the couch. In doing so, the swordsman took quick examination of his student's beloved and noted the faint pink flourishing in his cheeks. His pupils weren't dilated – not that Asari Ugetsu could see them through his glasses, anyway. He arched an eyebrow at the thought, fully curious, and chuckled.

Whether Hayato-san realized it or not, he was easily flustered. Kids these days, Asari Ugetsu wondered with strong disapproval. Why on earth did they insist on dressing in such dark clothes and revealing so much skin? Then again, he hummed as Hayato pushed his glasses up his nose and fiddled with the handful of belts around his hips, times were changing.

And gosh, even his father would consider him old.

"I assume you were hoping to get a word in with G?" Asari Ugetsu broke formation and sat on the floor, legs crossed. "Come, join me."

"Bwuh, I don't really—okay." A few seconds later, Hayato placed the water bottle back on the coffee table along with his spare key and stood parallel to his guardian's roommate. Asari Ugetsu gestured to the floor yet again, and with a sigh, the teenager withered to the ground.

"Do you believe in meditation?"

"I'm atheist."

"Did I ask of your beliefs?"

"Well—no. I mean…fuck—_shit_! Gah, I'll shut up now." Hayato-san softly groaned, hand pressed to his forehead as he looked away.

Asari Ugetsu chuckled. How long had it been since they met? He remembered meeting Takeshi–kun when the boy was a young child. Tsuyoshi had been his colleague for the longest time, and they agreed to teach him the way of the sword as a form of discipline. For years before middle school came around, Asari Ugetsu counted the days Hayato would "coincidentally" walk by the dojo and offer to take Takeshi-kun home. They were inseparable, and often he theorized six-year-old Italian Hayato considered both Asari Ugetsu and samurais above all _the devil._

Somehow, it was G-san who ended up becoming his roommate, and the pair lived in a beautiful condo. Meeting Giotto and G was another story, but having Hayato-san's older sister marry his best friend and roommate was something expected. By then, Hayato-san's attachment to G was as inseparable as Takeshi was to Asari Ugetsu himself, and they had no choice but to get along.

Though, he wondered when Hayato started assuming every little thing offended him.

"You seem troubled," Asari Ugetsu chided lightly. "Would you like to explain?"

Light pink flourished in Hayato's cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair, eyebrows furrowed tightly as he looked away. "No."

"I will not judge you. Nor," he added with a wink, "shall I tell my little one of your thoughts if you request I do not."

Hayato stiffened. In the next second, the swordsman found his roommate's charge up and about, eyes wide with fury and face red. He'd gone off like an explosive, and detonated into a rage. "And just what the hell do you know about my personal issues?"

"Everything Takeshi-kun has been willing to tell." Asari Ugetsu was not foreign to these temper tantrums. Instead, he'd responded with a calm quirk, eyebrow raised with mild amusement. He'd never been known as a violent man, after all. "Did you enjoy yourself at the party last night?"

This was Hayato Gokudera they were talking about. Asari Ugetsu waited as a patient man, and finally, the teenager let his guard down like the wary calm before a storm, again sitting parallel to the adult's form.

"…I always enjoy myself at his birthday parties," Hayato admitted. "My sister and he have dated for years before getting married, and he's always gone out of his way to include me in his activities."

"You speak truthfully."

"Why wouldn't I admire that bastard?" Of course, the deadpan of the silver-haired teenager's tone insisted more. He had seen G and Hayato get into many spats, but they truly were like brothers. "G has a good thing going for him, and is very loyal to his friends. He and Giotto-san are everything I want to be by the time I'm their age. That's in ten years. They were able to make names for themselves in less than _ten years._"

When Hayato began rambling about the successes of the pair, he never stopped. Asari Ugetsu was keen with this rascal – he was skillfully able to depict most if not all of Hayato's moods. "Admiration can go a long way."

"I want to meet all of their goals at my own rate." Hayato nodded his head assertively, chin held high. There was a saying – once a person spent enough time with another, they started looking alike. G and Hayato fit that case. Asari Ugetsu had known G for years.

Hayato could have been his clone. With a light smile, Asari Ugetsu raised his head. "Your admiration for G and Giotto in itself is admirable, Hayato-san. I wish you a pleasant future."

"Right." Suddenly, the silver-haired teenager's babbling was over, and he kept his stature firm once the swordsman chuckled. Hayato continued with a more professional approach, and Asari Ugetsu expected nothing less. "They _are_ good businessmen in their prime."

"They are also of the homosexual preference."

Once the words left Asari Ugetsu's lips, Hayato's expression seemed to have disappeared from the world. Green eyes flickered tersely, and the adult watched with interest as the boy's shoulders hunched over, frown spread across his lips and glasses magnifying his fury. "Drunken experiences."

"Ah? So you consider their sexual activities, alone and separate—"

"_Drunken experiences._"

"You need not get defensive with me, Hayato-san," said the other coolly. "Center your thoughts. Deep breaths." But when it came to Hayato Gokudera, he was a typhoon that could not easily be stopped.

"I know you're a successful teacher in the way of the sword and prize Yamamoto as your highest student," and Hayato-san said this because he was quick to catch onto things, "but I'm not your student, nor your disciple. What you say to me won't leave this room."

"Likewise. You have my word." Asari Ugetsu nodded his head kindly. "Now, where was I? Ah. Giotto and G are two highly respected men, and even acquaintances know of Giotto's sexuality. They also assume G is his lover."

"So what," Hayato interjected defensively. He glared, gaze harsh as both his hands curled into fists. Asari Ugetsu reached over, palms resting against the teenager's before he uncoiled them. "They can fuck each other _raw_ for all I care, but that doesn't make _me_ a queer."

"You consider Giotto and G, two powerful men in the business world, as you say, 'queer'?"

"W-Well…no…ah, fuck."

"Do you think of Takeshi-kun a 'queer'? 'Fag,' possibly? 'Homo'?" Asari Ugetsu watched carefully to see what reaction he could spawn from the teenager, and ended up with positive results. Hayato ran a hand through his hair, eyebrows knitting together with mild discomfort.

"Sex between a man and a man is unnatural." Hayato shook his head. Hmm, if he continued with the furrow of his eyebrow, it was possible his face would get stuck that way. "Ever since ancient times, man has been dominant and the woman submissive. It's simple logic that there cannot be co-dominance in a homosexual relationship."

"Kings would often have concubines and not discriminate against gender, Hayato." Asari Ugetsu placed his hands on his knees. "Do you truly disapprove of homosexuals?"

Hayato scoffed. "No duh."

It was funny how only a few minutes ago, the young teenager insisted on being very respectful. Asari Ugetsu didn't mind. This was Hayato's true personality, after all. "How long have you known Takeshi-kun?"

The silver-haired teenager paused. Suddenly he shrugged, eyes cautious of the man's reaction as he loosened himself. "Long enough."

"And you consider him your best friend?"

"Yes?"

"Suppose he walked down the street as he usually did," Asari Ugetsu said finally. "There is a person who walks by in the opposite direction, and they catch sight of my student and your best friend. They know of his sexuality. If they called him a 'queer,' as you say, or even a 'faggot,' what would you do?"

Somehow, there was relief that spread across the teenager's expression. The roll of his eyes would have gone unnoticed had it not been Asari Ugetsu who was watching him. "It's a hypothetical situation. It's not like I approve of his sexuality. If someone discriminated against it, I would agree with them and expect him to understand why he's sick in the head."

"Ah. And if I were to say I wasn't speaking hypothetically?"

The confirmation and professionalism melted away from Hayato's face. "_What_?"

"Well—"

"Someone went up to Yamamoto and called him a fucking queer just because he's—he's _gay_?" Green eyes narrowed dangerously. Hayato sprung to his feet, finger pointed accusingly toward the door. He blazed with fury, growl escaping his lips as his other hand curled into a fist. "Just because he fucking likes guys doesn't make him a damn queer. I've known him all my life – he doesn't just sit around, paint his nails or shit like that. What the hell would he know about Yamamoto?"

"So—?"

"He's able to like whoever the hell he wants. That bastard can go fuck himself." The teenager grabbed his things from the coffee table. Uh-oh. "Do you know where he lives? I'll kick his ass—lord knows Yamamoto wouldn't do a damn thing about it."

"Hayato-kun!" Asari Ugetsu grabbed the boy's hand, quick in attempt to dispel his rage, and chuckled in amusement.

"What?" Hayato seethed. "Don't you fucking care that there's some bastard out there who's talking shit about your student? Why the hell would you be laughing? This is Yamamoto we're talking about!"

"We are still speaking of a hypothetical situation. Calm yourself, please – sit." Asari Ugetsu forced his guest to the couch, and crouched in front of the boy in order to continue his observation.

"Oh." The look flooded away from Hayato's face. Silenced, red scattered across the silver-haired teenager's pale cheeks and he looked up to the adult's demeanor without a word on his tongue.

"'Tis sweet; what you were going to do for my student." The swordsman's eyes glimmered knowingly, and he unscrewed the bottle of water in Hayato's hand. Mechanically, the teenager obliged and took a sip for himself.

"I've got to go." In the blink of an eye, it was as if the teenager regained his sense of coherency before picking himself up and made his way toward the door.

"I have yet said anything that could have given you such a revelation, Hayato-san," Asari Ugetsu called afterward.

Hayato turned around. He readjusted his glasses, face troubled, and the swordsman found himself at the other side of a bowing, respectful teenager. "Thank you for taking care of my friend after all these years. But I would rather handle this problem by myself."

"But—"

"It's none of your business," continued the teenager curtly. Hayato stared at the adult menacingly. "So mind your own."

Asari Ugetsu opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing. The door opened sharply, and he watched a flurry of red hair pass silver.

"Mm? You looking for me this morning, kid?"

"Your roommate talks too much."

With that, the door shut behind G. Asari Ugetsu blinked, taken aback by the other's reaction – but again…not very surprised, either. He offered a smile as G approached the room and chuckled.

"He's right, you know." G frowned. "You do talk too much. What the hell did you say to him?"

"I simply asked about Takeshi-kun."

"Oh. That's okay then, I guess."

"G?"

"What?"

"If I may ask," Asari Ugetsu's eyes narrowed to his best friend, "Why do you have such a ghastly rash pulsing at your neck?"

OoOoO

Asari Ugetsu looked like Yamamoto.

He blamed it on his fucking glasses, mostly, but the more Hayato had to stand there and wait for his bloody ex-brother-in-law to come home, the edgier he felt. Asari Ugetsu was a well-respected man, and it used to annoy the shit out of him when Yamamoto spoke highly of his master. It annoyed the shit out of him _more_, when Asari Ugetsu would smile the way he did. Perhaps that's where Yamamoto got it from – that annoying laugh of his, and all of those obnoxiously memorable habits.

Like…like the way Hayato knew Yamamoto was faking a smile when his nose would scrunch first. Or how the damn baseball idiot always leaned on his right foot before he pitched, and how Yamamoto would write, slice, and practice the sword with his left hand even though he was right-handed before a baseball game so he wouldn't ruin his good pitching arm.

Asari Ugetsu trained him well. The master especially knew how to say something so frankly, and render Hayato speechless.

But there was a difference between Yamamoto and Asari Ugetsu. The swordsman spoke wisely, knowing _which_ words he needed to say in order to mess with Hayato. Takeshi Yamamoto, on the other hand, could say anything he wanted, and secretly, Hayato's knees would buckle.

The hair on the back of his neck would tingle, eyes would sting from the luster of a fervent blush, and that idiot would stand there, having absolutely no clue that he was making Hayato's heart pound three-thousand beats a minute.

It pissed him off that Yamamoto's estrogen levels were getting to him.

With a frown, he crinkled his nose, hiked his collar, and made his way toward Haru's house.

He didn't like Takeshi Yamamoto.

Falling in love with Takeshi Yamamoto would have been ridiculous.

Love all its own, was something so fucking troublesome that Hayato was barely sure it should be legal, let alone for que—homosexuals. He paused, pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose, and buried both hands in his pockets. His thoughts wandered back to only two nights before, when he had yelled at Sawada. The day before he'd cooperated with Yamamoto, leaving out as many details as he could upon the subject of the Tenth – which was kind of _hard_, since they were setting up his birthday party – and made sure he was happy.

After an hour of celebrating, he'd snuck away with the valid excuse of celebrating his guardian's birthday.

Fucking shit.

He hated how his pride managed to come above everything else. Hayato scowled at the thought, and kicked a wad of paper out of the way. Sawada was right. He remembered, too, when his and Yamamoto's friendship had a strain on it.

Yamamoto had hit puberty. Or started to, at least. His voice had been cracking on occasion, and for the longest time Hayato was incredibly jealous. At the age of eleven, he'd thought his best friend had been abducted by aliens and probed.

Boundary lines had been put up. As little kids, wrestling, sleeping in the same bed with one another and laying on top of each other had no significant meaning. Innocence was the word. However, meanings became thicker as they got older, and the signs were there.

Everything he said about Takeshi Yamamoto to Sawada had truth and meaning. Hayato held his best friend in high regard – higher than Giotto and G, even – because of his sheer determination. He knew the idiot aspired to one day be a professional baseball player, and with every fiber of his being, disapproved of that decision. At the same time, Yamamoto's determination was what made him whole.

Only when seeing a sincere smile on his best friend's face did Hayato feel as though his day was complete. Making friends came easy to Yamamoto, along with getting girls, or even defining himself. The thought of someone actually harassing his best friend was ridiculous because Hayato truly thought other than his idiocy, Yamamoto was perfect.

And at the age of eleven, the little seedling of doubt planted itself in Hayato's head. He could feel lingering stares, noticed touches that never withered, and every time Yamamoto stared at him, he could feel the baseball idiot searching for his soul. It was nerve-racking.

The theory was always in the back of his mind, and he wished that it wasn't true, but also argued with himself for not putting his best friend at depth as he would when they were children. Children, he stubbornly reminded himself, were innocent. What children did was different for adults.

One day, Yamamoto simply raised his head and said that he was gay. The next day, Yamamoto insisted on going out with him.

"Haha," the baseball idiot had said before his baseball game. "Will you go out with me, Hayato?"

He _hated_ it when that name left his best friend's lips. The way it was said – the broadness and assertion behind Yamamoto's tone made him shiver. His cheeks would flourish with a heated blush, and throat would grow dry.

And he thought Yamamoto was joking.

"The fuck?" Hayato couldn't even find the coherency to yell at him. Yamamoto was standing there, bat in his hand and a smile across his face.

"If I were to think of one person I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, it would be you." Yamamoto's words hit him like a cold bucket of water. The world around them seemed to disappear, and the silver-haired teenager heard nothing but his best friend. "And haha, it's weird. I see you every day, but sometimes it doesn't seem like enough."

"_I know it's a lot to ask, but haha, I just think I'm in love with you. I'm going to dedicate the last game to you, okay?" _

He was stunned. Yamamoto _kissed_ him. But the taste of Yamamoto's lips had been the most electrifying moment of his life. He'd never felt so alive, so much lighter than air – so, so…

So disgusted.

His best friend was in love with him, kissed him, and it had been _him_ Yamamoto had been thinking of. Yamamoto was in love with _him._ His thoughts soared through all of the possibilities, and the raw image of Yamamoto at night, pleasuring himself to the thought of _him_ made Hayato feel exposed. He'd seen it coming; seen it set and done, but never thought it would happen.

So he asked Haru out. It was like living an entire day under the influence and drunk on all alcoholic beverages known to mankind. Before he knew it, Haru and he were hand-in-hand, and Yamamoto, crushed, ended up breaking his arm and taking Namimori's baseball team out of the running for the rest of the season. Out of any girlfriends, Haru would've been his last choice – but he liked her company. To some extent.

Haru made him feel like a man. Fuck – he _was_ a man, and damn proud of it. All of the shit Yamamoto talked about, his interest in guys – _everything_ was fucking insane. And Hayato wasn't gay. He would _never_ be gay.

The thought of dating Yamamoto of all people made him sick to his stomach.

And made his heart soar.

Shit.

Shit, shit, shit.

With a growl, the teenager rattled his fist into the door of the Miura Residence and waited expectantly. Not too soon, it burst open, and reveale—

"What the hell are you doing in a banana suit?" Dear God, why did he live next to a bunch of morons?

"Hahi?" Haru blinked in confusion, head tilted to the side as she looked at her boyfriend. She grabbed the door frame with her yellow-gloved hands and smiled proudly. "I'm practicing for the community center's play for preschoolers – The Ugly Strawberry! Did you know bananas are actually berries? And strawberries aren't?"

"Bah – fuck –! I don't care, woman! Just change, so we can go out on a fucking date!"

"Gokudera-san!" Haru gasped comically, stubby hands failing to reach her cheeks as she gave the other teenager a look of disapproval. "You will not cuss while you are in my household! You know how my mother feels about that!"

What the—"Just get changed already!"

"Okay, but you have to help me out of my banana suit."

"I don't want to fucking—"

"Gokudera-san! _Language!_"

Five minutes after arguing, Hayato found himself upstairs in his girlfriend's room, waiting ever-so patiently for the teenager to change out of her clothes. With a heavy sigh, he lay on her bed flipping through one of her silly magazines and reading nothing. A grimace spread across his lips, and he tried desperately not to stare at the many stuffed animals and…_pink_ness of his girlfriend's room.

It drove him crazy.

At least with Yamamoto's room, it had video games, sports equipment, and samurai swords. Fuck. He was thinking of Yamamoto _while he was with his girlfriend._

"So where were you planning on taking me?"

"I don't know. A walk, or something?"

"Hahi? Just a walk? That's not very romantic, you know."

"So what?" Hayato raised an eyebrow, apathetic of the change of subject. He looked to his girlfriend, relieved she was finally out of her banana suit and figuring out something to wear. "Maybe I just like taking walks with you."

"I guess." Haru hummed sweetly and turned around. "It's a nice day out. Do you think I should wear a dress?"

"I don't give a damn what you wear." He shrugged idly and watched with little interest as she went from outfit to outfit before throwing them on the bed. "Just find something so we can go for a walk."

"Red's your favorite color, right? Hm, maybe I should wear red."

"Red looks good with your eyes." Red accentuated brown eyes. Personally, Hayato loved to see them together, and always had the pleasure to. There were three colors Yamamoto would always wear either together or separately – blue, yellow, and red. Hayato watched his girlfriend before pushing himself off the bed and standing next to her by the closet. He was a good four inches taller than her. With a wry smile, he nudged her in the shoulder. "But you look fine in anything you wear."

Haru gave him a calculative look. Shit. That was never any good. Instead, she broke into a smile, stood at the tip of her toes, and looked through her many outfits. "I see, I see. Gokudera-san, let's break up."

"I think you'd look better in green." Wait—"_What_?"

"Did you know that you have some excruciatingly bad habits?" Haru turned to him again, all smiles, before picking out a white and red polka-dotted dress. "For instance, your temper is atrocious, and the way you dress is horrendous."

"The hell?" Hayato's eyes narrowed. "You're not that easy to stand either, you little—"

"You can't let another person finish their sentence for the life of them," she continued, as if daring him to challenge her, "and you've got this annoying habit of saying 'che' whenever you're in a bad mood. Well, Mister, only delinquents and thugs say something like that. While you're knowledgeable in some things, your ego is so big that it won't let anything else through. And, Gokudera-san, you can fill out a pair of skinny jeans better than I can."

"Well you don't know when to shut the hell up!" Hayato's voice peaked seven octaves and he curled his hands into fists. "I get the best grades at our school and you're so fucking judgmental. Your estrogen gets on my fucking nerves, and—and your damn palms are sweaty every time I hold them! I mean, what the hell?"

"Gokudera-san!"

"What!"

"Those aren't the reasons why I'm breaking up with you." Er, what? Suddenly, the sweet smile that'd been across her lips disappeared, replaced with a menacing glare as she put her hands on her hips. "Are you aware of the fact that I've been standing in my undergarments for thirty minutes and you've said nothing about it?"

She was? Hayato looked at his girlfriend, taken aback, and realized she was right. "When the hell did you take your clothes off?"

"I had no clothes on under that suit to begin with," she huffed. Haru crossed her arms coolly, and promptly began to put a shirt on herself. "But I also wasn't planning for you to come here and take me out on a date. Gokudera-san, do you know what it means when a girl's boyfriend isn't ogling her like bacon?"

"Well—"

"It means that they're ugly! Unattractive! And I know I'm not unattractive!" Haru waddled a finger in his face and shook her head. "But it can also mean that you don't find _me_ attractive." Buh… "I'm not mad at you, Gokudera-san, but I don't want to be with someone who finds me unattractive."

"I like you the way you are, woman." Hayato suddenly grappled his thoughts, gaze lowered to his girlfriend confidently, but he wasn't sure what to say. Haru shrugged nonchalantly, and sat on the bed. He followed in suit, and finally caught sight of her true expression.

She didn't want this to happen. She was _sad._

Hayato blinked – once, twice – before deciding it was best to be quiet. It wasn't too long ago that they showered each other with "I love you's", and were making out before Haru went to class. Originally he had dated her to get Yamamoto off his case, but this was different. No matter how emotionally attached he refused to get, she was a part of his life.

"Elaborate for me." _Please._

Haru looked up, eyes innocent as the day they'd met one another, and she offered a pitiful smile. Hayato nodded in acknowledgement, and the revelations began. "I'm not the person for you, and…you're not the person for me."

"We fight about every damn thing, yeah," Hayato agreed. "Go on."

"I'm just not the type of person who can handle your personality, and the way you handle mine can get annoying," she confessed. Haru put a hand to her chest. "All a girl wants is for a guy who thinks she's beautiful, but I don't want to date you if I've got to _assume_ everything in the relationship."

"Ah."

"And that's why I think we should break up."

"Okay."

Haru blinked. "Really? Just like that?"

"Just like that." Hayato stood up, hands tucked in his pockets and gave her a curt nod. No more having to wake up early just to take her to school. No more weekly dates. No more having to _take_ her to places, or spend money on her.

"I still love you," she continued, eyebrows furrowed cautiously. "But…not in the way either of us want."

"Yeah." He stood there, unsure of what to do next until she flung her arms around him in a sweet embrace. Hayato hugged her back, numb, and finally inched his way to the door. He stopped for a second, turning around one last time to see her face, and simply stared. "Bye, Haru."

She smiled sadly. "Bye, Gokudera-san."

"Eh…call me Hayato."

With that, the door shut behind him. He really should have been angry. Haru was his first girlfriend, and he was able to confide in her with most things. She was quite possibly the most annoying little wench he'd ever known – and one of the sweetest.

Hayato scratched his head as he trudged down the stairs. He really should have been upset.

But he wasn't.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

Well, this chapter explains a few things since, as we know, Gokudera was missing in the last chapter. But not only that, there's nothing important that happens in the next few days in the chapters, so it seemed like a good idea. Of course, this means that there wasn't a lot of Tsuna in this chapter, either. Sorry about that; but you'll love the next chapter. Trust me. C': I feel this chapter is kind of rushed and choppy but…honestly, there wasn't much to say, and adding on other things from this seemed pointless.

ANOTHER THING. So…would you guys believe me if I said, even though practically every character in this story seems gay, I didn't catch onto it until probably… the last chapter? No, seriously. I guess I made everyone gay without realizing it, so I hope you guys don't penalize me. I hate stories where everyone is gay, yet I did it unintentionally. xD;

Also, with the apricot blossoms, because I know I'll get questions about this: _When did Enma get those_? He didn't pick them in this chapter. Those were the flowers he ruined in the last chapter, and no, it wasn't the yellow jasmines and daffodils G was allergic to. It was the fact Enma had apricot blossoms in his back pocket that he now apparently has a bulbous rash. SO PLEASE, NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. And, this is why I didn't feel so bad about their lack of a moment last chapter. Because this moment is ten times cuter. :'D Oh. Btw. The meaning of apricot blossoms: timid love. DUNDUNDUN.

Sorry for the slow update, and YES. My birthday was September 1st. Hehe. I am OFFICIALLY insert-age-here. Ahurrhurr. Guess.


	14. househunting and dating

**aimeeshii **Gokudera can be kind of a dunce. But it's really fun portraying him as a smart idiot. xD **marsnmonkey **I'm sixteen. Shhh. ;) **Breathless02 **You'll like this chapter. :D **Lireach **The thing about Enma and G is, even if they were to suddenly stop everything and make out, it wouldn't make...realistic sense. xD There's an explanation at the end of this chapter. C: **LivingGlow** Why, thank you good sir. :D LOL YOU SPELL MARSHMALLOW RIGHT. COOL. I've had my rants about Tsuna's personality already. It's fine you didn't review the other chapters; this chapter's well overdo anyway. Anyway. It's 2:30 in the morning. I'm tired. Lmao. xR**ynnx **What I really hate is when people keep begging me or harassing me, asking when the Primo guardians will appear, and demanding why they aren't there yet. I have them all planned out, so thank you for enjoying Asari's company. C': **Garden of Everything **Homg. ;A; I wanna see every drawing! Heartheart. Would it surprise you if I confessed that AU stories really bug the crap out of me? I hate them to death. xD The only reason why I did this was because I've read so many yaoi manga with cliché plots that I kinda just wanted to do it. And in all honesty, it's really fun. But this is the furthest extent I ever go with AU: Real Life. m**arialeiah **Aw, thank you. Gokudera is just weird, I didn't think that would get so many people laughing, but it apparently did. Ahurrhurr. s**ender unknown **Really? I've been trying to make it equal partnership, actually. But I can see where you're getting this. xD **Mirriox **The interaction in this chapter will make up for it. I know you'll like it. C': **Happy2Bme **I've gotten such good feedback with G00 that I'm kinda tempted to write Cozart x G or an actual G x Enma oneshot. Just for fun. C': And thanks very much, I've gotten a lot of influence on dialogue from a friend of mine; I try to keep it witty and serious all the same. **FaerieDemon **I'm glad you understand him better. I know a lot of people are gonna complain that there isn't enough G27, and I have a little thing to say about it at the end. **Kichou** Why, thank you. C: L**enah Kaus B.A.M. **Did you change your name? The thing about Gokudera is, I've gotten a lot of his personality from Koisuru Boukun. I recommend reading it. C': The song I'm listening to? "May I" by Trading Yesterday. I consider it this story's drive. **Kingyo **You'll find it in here! **Seriyuu **You'll have to wait and see! **Copycat-capycot **of course you're my other incredibly long review. Of course. Totally. So I really want to reply to this review, but you've basically illustrated and caught onto all of my plot devices. Well, maybe not _all, _but you've really captured the symbolism behind all of it, so it kinda cracks me up. I have a point in the end of the chapter that is long overdue to be explained. C': **xxxKimi-chan **Aw, thank you very much. C': **HetChrome **WOO. **captivated fairy **well, that's good. C':** UniversalOverlordness **Bah, I know how you feel. And thanks. I love characterization overall for everything. Yay happy. C; **gracefulsunshine **This story is in no way magical. Just very coincidental with some sadistic humor. So no. xD;; **An anonymous Fangirl **dude. You guessed right. Aha. **Kanberry **hearts!** LonelyDayzDreamer **You know, it's really cool. I've had a lot of reviews telling me this is their first time reading either a fanfic, or a G27 fanfic, etc. So I find it flattering that I get to be the first one that people get to read, including you. So I hope you're enjoying yourself! C: **Fire Princess 21 A**w, it's fine! I'm sure you'll enjoy this chapter! **InfinityOnTherun **Yes. I found it out very recently. Like. When I wrote that chapter. Rofl. **VongolaPrimo27 **Haha. You're like my little hamster. C': **Ophianara Blade **I hope you get to read this now; I'm finally on my days off and everything. Ehehe. S**akuramiyuki0 **si. **Soulfightersu **Tsuna's knitting will be used later, most likely. I try my best to reintroduce statements from past chapters in future ones. C: **Chiri-tan **Hehe. **ValkyrieX **Look at the end of the chapter. C: **TonichanLovesCookies **Haha. The thing about Haru, and Kyoko for that matter, is that I want to make them likeable. While it's true that they're rivals for Tsuna's affections, it doesn't mean they can't be likeable characters. so... yeah. xD **michellehail44 **Haha. I do believe you will love Giotto in this chapter. And thank you so much for that compliment. **LuckyStarWitch **In all honesty, you're not the first person to point out that I don't have a lot of G27 stacked on here. It doesn't offend me as much as it amuses me. xD I don't want to say much and haven't in these replies yet, because my author's note is doing a full analysis and explanation for you guys. So yeah. Don't worry dear, I'm not offended. **KonataIzumi1 **Aw, that's cool. C: and thank you very much! DO YOUR HOMEWORK. RAWR. n**ami swan **si. r**outasu **In all honesty I don't understand how people can read this story in one go. xD I get so distracted that I tend to forget all of the stories I read – and I only read about 100K stories. **-Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **why, thank you. :D **ultimatebishoujo21 **si. **Gin Nanashi **Thank you very much! I value my characterization above anything. C': **okiyama **ehehe. r**ingo-chan **Thank you. C: **Chocolate Fax Machine **Haha. My analysis of Gokudera's character is pretty fun. Since you know Enma, I'm gonna assume you keep up with the manga, and obviously by now even Shitt. P is wondering why Gokudera values Tsuna. C': So I'm interested how it goes, and maybe it'll inspire me. **lovely frost **AHURRHURR. Thanks. C: **Mel-Chama **Haha. Thanks, kid. C': **Dremagon **You're welcome. Thank you so much for being one of my readers! C: **Rainbowbubble **I love how you phrase it. Gokudera "tripping" into the right direction, that's a good way to put it. And thank you for your compliments!**pamellka **So I dunno how, but you became my favorite reviewer. xD I've been staring at this thing for days, and it'd always read "589" and suddenly, you reviewed and broke that. Thank you very much. And I'm glad you liked this story. Pl0x read my update.

**chapter fourteen has **househunting and dating.

"Now, now. Do you really have to look at me like-?"

"Yes." Giotto sharply narrowed his eyes, wary of the way his older brother's best friend's hands fiddled with a piece of chalk. Leon, his cunningly adorable chameleon approached the desk before curling into his owner's slender fingers. Unlike the blond, Reborn's feline serenity watched Giotto's every move with an underlining of amusement. It was different, shivered the other adult.

Eventually, Reborn's hand traveled to the bright green water gun he kept in his drawer. "Ieyatsu—"

"_Giotto—"_

"Ieyatsu." The full-blooded Italian continued, Cheshire grin adorning his lips as he casually squirted water in Giotto's face. The blond didn't blink. "Your brother pisses me off."

Giotto smiled wryly. "From what I hear, you grade your students harder than any other teacher in the nation."

"Don't take it so lightly. You piss me off more."

"Oh, _do_ tell._" _

"Well. I can tell you now that the 'R' in my name, spelled in the very back," he gestured to the large letters that produced the letters, 'R' 'E' 'B' and half of what was probably an 'O,' "Is mostly of your brother being unable to answer any of my questions."

"What," Giotto chided sarcastically, "could he have possibly done to rile you up? I applaud him."

"You would," Reborn added. Suddenly the air thinned, and they found themselves at each other's wits with the mocking grin disappearing from his brother's teacher's face. "Are you doing well? Change has never been one of your better abilities."

"Fine, actually." But Giotto agreed. He looked to the window of the door, where Tsuna idly hovered with his head ducked. Takeshi-kun was at baseball practice, and he hadn't seen lash or hair of Hayato-kun since walking into the building.

"You were so heartbroken when finding out about Iemitsu." Reborn's eyebrow stretched an inch or two. "I hope you aren't the reason why his grades are so low. I've yet to have a student fail using my methods and I'd like to keep it that way."

"What you have in teaching experience you lack in sanity," Giotto responded flatly. The glint in the teacher's eyes didn't fool him. Instead, he leaned forward to look at the many tests and grade book Reborn kept tidily on his desk. Despite his hesitation towards the man, he knew well that Reborn wasn't an instructor to take lightly. The marks ranging from zeroes to fifties proved his point. The highest and only anomaly, Giotto confirmed, was a 'C' stacked neatly on top.

"He's quite on the pathetic side," Reborn commented. He looked up, unsatisfied. "I would've hoped that math ran in the family."

"He drives well." Probably better than Giotto himself. The blond excluded that minor detail and looked up to Reborn. "I've been meaning to get in touch with you about his grades. There are only a few more weeks left until exams and high school is important. Would you mind being his tutor?"

"Oh? You want to put your little brother through that pain?"

"If _I_ was able to pass your homicidal methods, then _he'll_ pass them." Hopefully. The fact Reborn tutored him when they were younger wasn't one of his fondest memories. "Tsuna is still getting situated with living with me. We both are."

The whim that so commonly radiated in Reborn was lacking. The elder man flashed him a look, one absolutely serious and turned to pet Leon. "He doesn't realize it, but that little moron of yours has the charisma to control armies. Watch him, Ieyatsu. With the proper studying, he could proudly hold the name 'Vongola.'"

Giotto blinked. Missing half a beat, he nodded in agreement of the other's observations. "Tsuna has more potential than anyone I've ever known." Another thought suddenly entered his mind and the blond chuckled at the memory of the brunet on his medication. "I've never seen anyone with a drive as pure as his."

Tsuna wasn't a Vongola. In all honesty, he had almost forgotten the brother relations altogether - how his mother had told him the story of Iemitsu Sawada and Celeste Vongola; their meeting, clever banter, and the marriage. Together they birthed two beautiful little boys, both who took on the Vongola name because Sawada was both common and short of high rank. Dino Vongola took over their grandmother's business, Cavallone and Giotto Vongola inherited Vongola from their grandfather. From Tsuna's perspective, Nana and Iemitsu must have fallen madly in love, had both him and Lambo, and lived happily ever after – no Vongola included.

If anything, Tsuna was more like the boy down the street who Giotto was captivated with than a brother. A 'brother' would have been a Vongola. For example…Dino.

"You seem quite fond of him," Reborn interrupted his thought pattern. Dark eyes held an interested allure, and Giotto shrugged. "I can't remember the last time you smiled like that in front of me."

Oh. Erm. "For many reasons."

"Sure, sure. I'll come by Saturday. He'll have the highest scores by the time I'm through with him."

"How am I paying you?"

"One blowjob an hour."

"Not likely." Giotto narrowed his eyes, frown delicately forming at his lips before standing up to shake Reborn's hand. "It was nice seeing you again, but he and I should get going."

"I hear you two are looking for a new house," Reborn speculated. He smirked. "I never thought I'd see the day where Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola moved out of that shitty old apartment."

"Heh. Neither did I."

"You _are_ only keeping him until your parents get married, aren't you?"

Giotto's mind blanked. That was right; Tsuna was only staying with him until Nana and Iemitsu got hitched. When his mother first called him and requested he cooperated by taking in his little brother for the next nine months, it was written clearly in his mind those nine months were _all_ he needed. Now…_what now_?

A month and a half.

Tsuna had been living with him for a month and a half now, and not only did they fall into a casual routine of eating dinners late at night and going out of the house every Tuesday, but Giotto forgot to count the days. He'd asked the brunet to go apartment shopping with him, and claimed ever-so blatantly that Tsuna wasn't on a 'nine-month vacation.' Because he wasn't.

Yet after nine months, his little brother would go back to Nana and Iemitsu, and they'd be a happy family. How…

How depressing.

"I don't know," Giotto finally concluded. Tsuna was a lifestyle for him now. They were attached. Weren't they?

"Oh well," Reborn said casually like he didn't notice the blond's new horrors and frustrations. "Best not to worry about the inevitable. I'll see you and your brother on Saturday, Ieyatsu."

What? Oh. "Yeah."

Tsuna stood to his feet once Giotto exited Reborn's classroom. Brown eyes widened in panic. "Wh-What did he say?"

Oh…yeah… "He'll be tutoring you on Saturday." Giotto blinked, arms crossed in effort to look disappointed, but didn't have the heart for it. He stared at his brother and reminded himself of every good thought he ever had of the teenager. Tsuna was sweet. Tsuna was adorable. Tsuna pushed his buttons in the _oddest_ ways that made him frustrated for all the wrong reasons. Tsuna was…not very attentive.

"Oh. Okay." Not another word was spoken after that. Both brothers walked down the hallway toward the car with silence between them. Giotto's thoughts fluttered back to his bonding with Tsuna. Bonding. _Bonding_. Nearly a month ago, the word terrified him.

Tsuna was the illegitimate child that his bastard of a father had with another woman.

And also someone that Giotto had grown attached to. Suddenly Giotto's thoughts came to a halt and he looked to the corner of his eye, where Tsuna silently sat with his hands on his knees. The brunet's tight expression was grim, eyebrows furrowed and troubled.

"Tsuna," Giotto said lightly. Altogether, his little brother perked, lightly shooting an inch in the air. He raised an eyebrow, confused, and reached over to feel the teenager's head. "Are you ok—?"

"G-GIOTTO, YOU'RE DRIVING!" Almost immediately, Tsuna's head collided with the blonde's. Giotto let out a strained whine, but his brother didn't notice. Tsuna's hand gripped the wheel before swerving them to the right. Finally with a relieved sigh, Tsuna – shaking – leaned back in his seat. "That was close."

Giotto frowned. "That wasn't bad."

"Y-You r-ran a stoplight and got into the wrong lane!"

"It wasn't _bad…_" But then he smiled. It occurred to him only a short few minutes ago Tsuna had been silent. It was normal feat, _yes, _but one of his favorite things about his little brother was…

Getting a charismatic, uncharacteristic reaction out of him.

On cue, the young teenager's face turned the typical shade of rosy red, shoulders hunching, and he looked to his elder brother in confusion. "Y-Yeah..?"

"You're cute." He laughed again once Tsuna defied the laws of science and turned into a darker, more flustered hue.

"You'd be surprised," muttered the brunet quietly, "how often I get that."

No. He really wouldn't. In Giotto's opinion, Tsuna was quite possibly the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Instead of encouraging this statement and causing the poor teenager to darken more than he already did, he changed the subject. "You really have gone through a growth spurt."

"Oh?"

"Iemitsu is tall for a Japanese man. There's a possibility you may end up growing as tall as he was." Then again, Giotto was also half-Italian. Both his and Dino's height could have come from their mother, who too, was a very tall woman.

His brother deteriorated into a light, pink blush, and shook his head with a soft, inaudible – "Red light!" Tsuna squawked. Giotto blinked in confusion before immediately, the brunet grabbed hold of both the parking break and gear shift and there was a jerk. "Red light! Red light!"

Giotto pressed a hand to Tsuna's chest, shoved him back despite the force of the car, and they rode out the sensation. His head hit the back of his seat with a light thud, and he blinked – once, twice – until he could see what was in front of him.

A red light, as Tsuna had said, was above them and they were now parked a foot into the intersection. Other drivers honked and beeped, but the second they lay eyes on the businessman's signature car and remarkable hairdo, all went without care.

"I might need new tires," Giotto mumbled.

"A-And a new brother," Tsuna confirmed, voice faltering. They sat in silence as faint honks of other cars filled their ears. Giotto blinked, head still spinning from the velocity before he sat up in his seat and continued in the general direction.

Looking from the corner of his eye, the blond caught sight of his brother's reaction – _depression –_ and decided best to leave him be. Focus on the road, he told himself. He'd scared the poor teenager into cardiac arrest more than once already.

And it irked him. He had been so busy in his own thoughts – on cloud _nine_, even – that he hadn't noticed his brother's silence. It was expected since Enma had gone home only a short few days ago, but Tsuna was oddly resilient.

_He's homesick._

The thought slapped Giotto cold, and he gripped the wheel tighter. They'd been living together for over a month now, and Enma had just gone home. Tsuna wasn't fully attached to Namimori because he had grown up in Shimon.

Unfortunately, love for another wasn't something Giotto could do anything about.

He bit his tongue, and suddenly found himself very troubled. The thoughts spun in his head. Sure, he had been thinking it before – obviously, Tsuna would be shipped back to his parents once the knot was tied, but until then, Giotto was to treat him like family.

So, what now?

Giotto pulled into the parking lot, surprisingly without any troubles, and parked the car. They sat there in silence, each brother lost in their own thoughts. Laying his head back, the elder shut his eyes. Loving and nurturing was far beyond his time now. He hadn't had to be brotherly since Dino, and the elder Vongola started business along time ago.

"We're here now, aren't we?" Tsuna interrupted his thoughts.

Through the creases of his eyes, the adult watched his kid brother's shadow. Small hands brushed the hair out of his face, and his ears tingled.

"Are you okay?"

_I should be asking you that._ He was a little irritated, but knew by now it wasn't the best way to handle Tsuna. Tsuna was the type of person who molded with stress. He would live with it, either ignoring it or blaming it on himself.

While Giotto could have gone the immature route and blame his brother for his bitter musings, it was best to leave it be.

"I'm fine." With that, a small grin spread across the blond's lips. He looked up, fiery, Italian orbs mixing with that of brown, and gave his brother a quick peck on the forehead. Tsuna tensed, eyes widening to the size of twin Mount Vesuviuses, before his face exploded into a huge blush. The teenager messed with his jacket, hiking up his collar before he scurried out of the car.

Giotto's smile widened. That, surely, was enough to keep him happy. At least for today.

OoOoO

In the end, they had gone to four different department stores.

They finally went into Banana Republic to get a few suits. He had explained to the young brunet that in the future, Tsuna would most likely go with him for a "pathos" appeal to his rivals in the business world to benefit his company as they advanced in the hierarchy of success. (Tsuna of course nodded dumbly, so Giotto had a feeling he didn't follow any of that).

Out of the four department stores, Giotto held one little bag no larger than his hand. In it lay a pair of boxers that Giotto himself suggested to buy. Tsuna hadn't looked him in the eye ever since the small kiss on the forehead, but Giotto was used to it.

His little brother was fun to fluster, after all.

Still. The spurt had been so apparent in his growth, that Tsuna had constantly been tugging at his shirts and walking awkwardly. It probably would have helped, Giotto thought with much sympathy, if they had gone shopping earlier. After clothes-shopping, they would go apartment-hunting. If Tsuna would be getting no more than a pair of boxers, than this was pointless.

He looked around, enthralled by the many regal suits, and laughed lightly. Ever since inheriting the Vongola business, suits were a second skin to him. Even now, in a nice suit, Giotto knew impressions were everything. Such as the one Tsuna made on him.

Scared, timid, and willing to do anything to make his friends happy. A golden child.

Suddenly the adult's ears perked, and he looked to the dressing rooms. There was a light _oof_! and a loud squeak that Giotto knew belonged to one person only. A sigh left his his lips, amusement teeming in the blond's eyes before striding to the back.

It was one thing to treat Tsuna as a guest. It was another, he digressed, to treat him like family.

Which meant Giotto had no problem with wrestling Tsuna into a new wardrobe if the kid refused to buy anything. There were only a few dressing rooms in the back of Banana Republic.

"Tsuna?" Giotto called. He looked around, amused, before finally coming to a halt at the last stall. "Tsuna? Can I come in?"

"I-I...er..." There was a soft rustling before the door opened. Giotto looked over his brother's shoulder, ignoring his natural blush, and held back a grimace. Clothes. Heaps of them, all surrounding the room, hanging on the walls, and shoes back and forth. "Hi."

"The last I checked," Giotto muttered slowly as he pushed his little brother into the room, "I only gave you two suits to try on. Where did all of this come from?"

Tsuna shrugged. "Magic?"

"Right." Like magic actually existed. As Giotto looked back to his brother, he caught sight of the younger's blushing face. _Oh._ His eyes wandered to his brother's body, realizing only now the boy was in his boxers. Sure, he wrestled to put on one of the shirts, and went for a button-up.

But wow.

It had been a long time since Giotto had seen a livid body. Without even realizing it, his fingers grazed the contour of Tsuna's jaw. He studied the boy, lost in the firmness in his eyes. Tsuna stood still, breath caught as Giotto's hand molded with his face. Slowly – _gently_, Giotto moved his hand, fingers twisting in the brunet's hair and rubbing his ear.

He tensed. Widened eyes looked at him, confused, but said nothing. Giotto continued with his scrutiny, almost completely losing himself with his younger brother's body. It was...enticing. Thralling. The warmth traveled to and from his hand, and how each inch of the brunet's skin beat like a small drum under the skin of his own fingers.

A sanguine body, one that saw enough sunlight, with the natural red across his brother's face as if airbrushed on a porcelain doll. Tsuna's collarbone, Giotto realized as he gave the teenager's shoulders a soft squeeze, was very tight. He'd seen his brother as another being, but never one ever so full of...life. Of a flame, that appeared very gentle, but offered warmth to even the largest creature.

His hands traveled forth, and Giotto sat back into the small bench, overwhelmed by his brother's form. Softly they grazed against Tsuna's chest before lowering to his waist. The blond squeezed his brother's body tightly, and Tsuna shivered. His left hand traveled down, far onto the brunet's navel, and he saw it. The small, insignificantly significant scar that decorated his brother's lower belly. Like a child with a new toy, he stared, engrossed, before touching it.

Finally, the so-called "magic" Tsuna mentioned only seconds earlier seemed to fade. The other boy, frightened, had his hands on Giotto's shoulders.

"G...Giotto?" whispered the brunet in confusion.

Oh, crap. Giotto snapped out of his musings, realizing what he was doing, before standing up. There he was, his hands through his _brother's_ shirt squeezing his torso without even realizing it. The businessman held Tsuna tight, still gathering his own thoughts, before offering a light smile.

"White looks good on you. I suppose the buttons are a little complicated, aren't they?"

"I..." Brown eyes flickered, hesitant, but didn't ask a thing. "I...t-tripped over some of the clothes."

Giotto laughed. "Only some?" He pulled away, almost like ripping a bandage off a sore, and watched Tsuna jump with surprise. Ticklish, he assumed. But...

_What did I just do?_

Well, it was obvious what he did. He just felt up his brother. Groped. Molested. Well, maybe not molested, but close enough. He'd never been so absorbed in another's body before, as if they were art. Not Alaude. Not G, not _anyone._

"The thing about it," Giotto thought, because he knew as the adult, he couldn't falter. He was Tsuna's caretaker, and it was best to act as if nothing happened – even if Tsuna hadn't pulled away.

But that was Tsuna. Even when they were younger, he hadn't said a word. Fiery eyes lowered themselves once more, to the small scar, and he held back a grimace.

The thing about it, Giotto reminded himself, "is that we've been here for two hours now, Tsuna. I know you're hesitant in spending my money, but we came here to buy you new clothes. And we're going apartment-hunting after this, so soon we'll have to buy you furniture for your room too."

His eyes didn't leave the small scar. Tsuna shied away, eyes falling to the ground, before he turned to gather his clothes. "Y...Yeah."

"I want to buy you new clothes," Giotto whispered softly. He didn't know where the insistence was coming from, but a need to protect his brother was quickly bubbling in his stomach. "I want to buy you new furniture too." _Tsuna_, he stopped himself from saying, _I want to do whatever it takes to make you smile._

And there was no fight. He watched Tsuna shrug, but the teenager wouldn't dare look him in the eye. Finally, Tsuna was dressed, Giotto standing well on the other side of the dressing room as he waited.

"Orange is a nice color on you," Giotto muttered softly. He offered a lame smile, head resting against the door as Tsuna finally looked up. Brown eyes shimmered, reluctant, before the boy broke into a small smile. "It doesn't look good on very many people. But it fits you just fine."

"Th...thank you," murmured the teenager. "Um, Giotto?"

"Yup?"

"You think I could get a job?"

Giotto blinked. "Why would you want to get a job?"

"I...Uh..." During the entire time, Giotto realized, Tsuna wasn't staring at him. _Great._ Just forget about it, he told himself tensely. Just forget about it, and if he forgot about it, and didn't mention it, Tsuna wouldn't mention it either. Brown eyes looked everywhere but his face, before the teenager gave up. "Forget about it. I-It was stupid."

"Nah." Carefully looking around, Giotto gathered what clothes the teenager didn't pick out and held them tightly. "You could work with me if you want."

"Wh...what?"

"I need an assistant. You'll sort of be like my little secretary, or an intern – only you get paid." Finally satisfied, Giotto looked back up to Tsuna. The brunet's eyebrows furrowed, troubled, and his brother continued. "I'll pay you double minimum wage – and you'll never be off the clock anyway. We live together."

Tsuna arched an eyebrow, suddenly back in his own skin. "Isn't that nepotism?"

Ah. Nepotism. "No, my dear brother." Giotto flashed his signature grin. "That's favoritism."

OoOoOoO

"Tsuna?"

"H-Huh?"

That was the third time Giotto had called his brother's name. He looked to the little bugger, concerned, and Tsuna's look contorted into curiosity. "What do you think of this apartment?"

Tsuna blinked. "We left the car?"

Well, duh. "Yes indeed." Giotto watched the boy looked around, startled at his new surroundings before he himself examined at the apartment. It was a penthouse, located in the heart of Namimori. They were at least a fifteen minute drive from their current apartment, and twenty from Namimori High. On the other hand, it was much closer to his work.

Wooden floors. Polished, gloriously shining and never used. The owner was one of Giotto's old business partners, who he had helped out when they were first going into management. The penthouse was fairly new and only a few months old, and _favoritism_ was on Giotto's side. After all, Shouichi Irie had quite the soft spot for him.

He made a mental note to thank the redhead for reservations. It was the fourth apartment building they had visited all afternoon, but the first he was able to snap his brother out of his daze.

And that it did.

With a child's amazement, Tsuna's eyes looked up and about the entire apartment. Giotto cracked a grin, accomplished, and looked back to the redheaded dealer.

Irie wasn't what many people would call scary. Since Giotto had known him, the young landlord had a weak stomach, and would often stammer as he spoke. His eyebrows would furrow, and often he listened to music to calm his nerves. If it wasn't for his architect/lover, Shouichi would most likely drown in his own self-pity.

Fortunately, both of them shared a hobby of robotics.

"As you can see, the penthouse is at the very top of the apartment buildings. It contains two bedrooms and one master bedroom." Shouichi smiled sheepishly. "I'll let you rent it for six-hundred dollars a month."

"If he likes this apartment, I'll pay you every penny you spent." Giotto whistled and hid a grin as it echoed. The penthouse design was beautiful. While indeed it wasn't the Taj Mahal or Mount Olympus, it was spectacular.

They walked around, feet clacking against the wooden floor, and found Tsuna in one of the alternate bedrooms. He stood next to a slanted window that overtook the fourth wall of the entire room.

The sun had set. Stars twinkled in a midnight blue sky, and the songs of cars and sirens could be heard from below, singing a sweet symphony. Above the large window overtook the ceiling with a huge skylight where the moon shined ever-so brightly.

Brown eyes shimmered, captivated by it all.

"I like this room," Tsuna declared quietly.

"It's got a balcony to it, too." Shouichi smiled politely before gesturing to the knob on the first window. He flipped the switch on the wall, and instantly the outdoors lit up. Tsuna backed away, suddenly red, and scratched his arm.

"I-I'm afraid of heights."

"Yet you want the room with the biggest view." Giotto cocked an eyebrow and chuckled.

"I...uh..." The brunet blushed, trapped in his own cocoon as he searched for a valid excuse. None apparently came to mind.

How cute.

Giotto smiled, leaning ever so lightly on Tsuna's back before he rested his forehead against the cold glass. Tsuna shivered, but said nothing. "Did I...ever tell you why I live in such a small apartment?"

"Y...You..." Tsuna stammered. "You used to live with G before he moved out, right?"

"_He_ used to live with me." A chuckle left the blond's lips. "What you see now in that apartment is refurbishing after refurbishing. I'd moved to Japan on a whim because my friend, Asari Ugetsu convinced me that I would fall in love with Namimori. That I did."

The warm blush tingled in Tsuna's face. Giotto grabbed hold of the boy from behind and buried his face in the brunet's shoulder. He didn't know why he was doing it. It just felt...nice.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't have my mother's money supporting me. But at that point of my life, I only spent the money that I would make before I was named the successor to the Vongola family. That apartment is my pride."

"I...I...w-we don't have to move, i-if..."

"Nah." _Why am I doing this again?_ This was brotherly. Hugging a brother was considered brotherly. So why was he so cautious about it? Giotto released his grip, smile faltering for a fraction of a second before he took the space next to his brother. Tsuna looked to him, confused, but Giotto couldn't explain it. "This is a new chapter of my life. And you're my brother. Not a guest."

And then Tsuna would blush. It was a strange custom, but something Giotto deeply enjoyed watching. The brunet shuffled his feet, eyes falling to the ground, and was officially rendered speechless.

Giotto looked up and smiled, but the buzzing in his head was ceaseless. He looked over to Shouichi, who himself appeared stunned and taken aback, before nodding to his brother. "You can go ahead and explore the rest of the building if you like. I'll be talking expenses with Shouichi."

"I...I...er. Yeah." Nodding slowly, the teenager scuttled off – but not without colliding with the door. "Oof!"

"Watch yourself!" Giotto called.

"R...right."

Once the front door finally shut, the blond looked back to his redheaded acquaintance, and found himself the object of scrutiny. Giotto wrinkled his brow. "What?"

"It's nothing! I'm just...rather..._confused_, I suppose."

"With?"

"W-well," Shouchi said, red rising to his face, "Your relationship with him is just confusing. You first arrived, comfortably invading one another's personal space, and because of...wh-what had just happened, I assumed you two were lovers."

"We're not." Lovers. _Lovers._ With..._Tsuna? _Of all the things – "He's not interested in me like that." And he was his _brother_! "And, you know, he's my brother."

"While the...the resemblance is there—"

"_Shouichi._" He couldn't remember the last time he felt so bothered by a statement. It would have been Giotto-like for him to simply laugh it off – tease Shouichi even, with sexual innuendos. But it was Tsuna. And to even..._think_ of his _**brother**_like that was – "Do I have the apartment or not?"

"W...Well." Shouichi shrugged. "Of course. Just...Uh." He scrambled with folders as paperwork flew everywhere before gathering what he needed. "Just sign here...here...and...here..."

By the time Giotto was done signing papers, it was agreed that the pair could move in next week. He would have to talk to his landlord, then to the school about Tsuna's new address, along with business plans. Not only that, but they would have to go buy new furniture that would compliment the house.

(After all, while Giotto wasn't flamboyantly gay, he still would rather die in a hole than have a new, incredibly _gorgeous_ penthouse not color-coordinated.)

He said his goodbyes to Shouichi, thanking him for the apartment and feeling somewhat lighter. Signing the papers for a new house was life-changing. He was no longer a young man with just a lover who lived by himself. He had a brother – one he would nurture and had become very attached to.

One he was living with now. Well, damn.

Giotto entered the personal elevator, thoughts going back to his brother. It put him at unease to the way he became so intimate with the young teenager. It upset him, however, that he wasn't upset at his behavior. He was more worried of what his brother would think, like – like a school girl with a crush asking herself if she was too clingy.

Again –_ well damn._

He needed a bath. He needed some time away, and needed to stop contemplat-

"Tsuna-kun?"

The blond stopped dead in his tracks, overtaken by surprise as he saw his little brother being approached by a little girl no older than him. The same girl, Giotto realized, as he examined her features. Kyoko. That was her name.

Tsuna looked up from his musings, snapped out of his thoughts, and tilted his head. "Kyoko-chan? What are you doing here?"

"I live in this apartment complex." The girl took a step forward, and Giotto got a better look of her outfit. A pretty dress for a sweet girl covered by a long coat for the cold season. A scarf was wrapped around her neck, and her eyes held sweet serenity. She was very pretty. "What are...you doing here?"

"Oh, uh." And like his brother always did, the brunet blushed and played with the strings of his new jacket. "I...I...Giotto and I are apartment-hunting. We're renting the penthouse on the top floor."

Her eyes lit up, twinkling like the night sky as she clasped her hands together. "Really? You'll be moving into this apartment complex?"

"U...Uh-huh."

"That's really cool." Silence shrouded them. Kyoko looked directly at the other teenager while Tsuna stared at the wall, before the conversation was lost.

"Um," Tsuna offered. "Maybe I could come over sometime. If...you know. You need some heavy-lifting or something."

The thought of his little brother trying to be a masochist was oddly cute.

Kyoko beamed slightly, red adorning her doll-like cheeks as she clasped her hands together. "Maybe we could get together and study for exams."

"O...Oh, uh. Sure."

"And...maybe we can get together, for...you know. Fun." Kyoko blushed lightly, smile spreading across her face as she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Go out and see a movie or something, you know?"

"Sure. I guess. Disney's always coming out with some uh, cute movies."

"Cool."

"Y...Yeah. C-Cool."

"Well then...bye, Tsuna-kun."

"Y-Yeah. Bye, Kyoko-chan."

The thought lost, Tsuna turned around to see her off. As Kyoko passed by Giotto offered a small smile before coming up to his brother, who looked positively mortified. It was then that Giotto decided to pop the question. "I thought you were gay."

Somehow, the teenager managed to blush as he paled. "I am."

"Didn't you just make future plans with that girl – a date, more specifically?"

Tsuna nodded. "That I did."

"Well. That sucks."

"Y...Yeah."

And for the oddest reason, Giotto was debating on feeling oddly amused for his little brother's girl problems, or extremely envious of her.

OoOoO

"Are you going somewhere?"

They were finally home. And Giotto could feel is blood rushing. He couldn't shake the feeling from his mind, nor his pulse, as he looked up to Tsuna, who sat on his couch with the remote in hand. The blond's heart was pounding in his ears and suffocating his lungs.

"I think you and I both know where I'm going." Giotto tried to offer a smile – but the demands were too great. The lack of oxygen getting to his head was causing him to become desperate, and with every second his fingers would curl and uncurl.

Tsuna glowed, and the answer was clear.

But he needed it. Badly. Giotto's body ached for touch. After bidding his brother a goodnight and reminding him of all the emergency numbers, food, G – _God when did he become such a mother _– Giotto practically stormed out of the house.

His groin was aching, _crying_ for the touch of another, and his body was clamming up.

For his brother. For _Tsuna._

The thought of being touched – touching someone else, making them moan and making them scream – all went back to the dressing room. He blamed it on a week without sexual intake before shooting through every stoplight to get to the Brouille Residence.

Kyouya-kun had answered the door on his guard, but the blond shoved past him. The ringing in his ears was great, and he let out a small moan as he stormed into the school director and ex-investigator's office.

Oh, _heaven._ Alaude stood up, quick to pull his reading glasses off his face, but Giotto tackled him down until they were both on the ground with his hand down the other's pants.

Alaude started cursing in French. He fought back, never one who liked to be taken off guard, but Giotto knew every weak spot. He kissed the nape of his lover's neck, ecstatic as he crooned, and picked him up.

"Warn me!" Alaude hissed. But he didn't fight back. As a matter of fact, Giotto blindly looked around, noticing only that Kyouya-kun rolled his eyes with distaste, cursing against his uncle before turning the TV on as loud as possible.

They walked through the living room into Alaude's bedroom. He tossed the silvery-white adult into bed, wrestled to get his tie off, and bucked into Alaude's hip. The other moaned, twitching as he tried to gain reality of things, before clothes began flying everywhere.

"I want you. _Badly." _Giotto needed this like no other. He needed to get Tsuna out of his head. He looked to the Frenchman, heart pounding, and Alaude irately rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

Hours later, the couple themselves in bed, wrapped in bedsheets in the afterglow of sex. Giotto ran a lazy hand up Alaude's thigh, eyes fluttering closed as he was finally at peace. He could worry about Tsuna later. Sex was hot.

Alaude was sprawled over him, reaching to the nightstand before he grimaced. "If you _dare fuck_ me without lube again after tonight, you'll be getting a knife up your ass the next time we do this, you damn..._insect._"

Apparently this was where Kyouya-kun got his food chain insults. Giotto buried his face into the pillow, uncaring of his lover's insults, and felt a hand press against his forehead.

"What were you doing before I fucked you?" asked the blond lightly.

"Research."

"Ah."

"It's been something I've been meaning to tell you for quite some time now. You know for a fact I've had a history for tracking people down."

"Yeah."

"Giotto." Alaude's voice became as icy as his mood. The broad adult brushed the hair out of his lover's eyes, and the fiery orbs of the Italian fluttered open. "My latest case is complete. I found him."

Giotto's blood ran cold. "What?"

"Daemon Spade." Alaude's words ripped into his lungs. "I've tracked him down. He...says 'hi.'"

With just that name – something Giotto hadn't even heard in years now – he could feel it falling. His world froze, and through those eyes he saw it plummeting to the darkest trenches of the sea.

**Author's Note: **

In reality, this chapter could be a lot longer, but...it wouldn't fit. And I do like the pace of it; I'm hoping this makes up for everything and I'm sorry if it's bad quality, I just seriously wanted to get the chapter out. A few things before I start to ramble – because you know I will.

If you really thought the action was amazing or this story's enticing so far, you're wrong. It's just _now_ picking up. YES GUYS. AFTER FOURTEEN CHAPTERS AND MORE THAN 100K, THIS STORY IS FINALLY PICKING UP, ROFL. And I'm not gonna lie. While the first thirteen chapters were awesome, the next...however many, will be bomb. Beast. Every B word out there. I can only give you one hint to how it will be going from now on – Listen to the song, **May I **by _Trading Yesterday. _

The catch of the song is, it's from Tsuna's point of view. If you want to know where this story is going so far, then it's a good song to listen to – and I'd love for you to listen to it before you review, so I can have an insight of what you think.

Now. Let's get down to business. As we all know by now, there are three prominent relationships that are showing themselves in this story: G27, G.00, and 8059. I really didn't want to explain it because it's a rather complicated development in my mind, but I've gotten a lot of comments on it, and I thought I might as well. In fact, this chapter wouldn't have existed if some of my readers didn't point it out.

The thing about the three pairings, and yes I do know you guys are rather more concerned for the G27, is...well, I duped you. The front of the story, the title page says that this story is G27 – and it is! It's the main pairing, but right now, as copycat-capycot says so well, they're going at a snail pace. So why are G.00 and 8059 there?

Counterbalance. Foils. To sum up the story, Giotto and Tsuna are trying to get to know each other. Their relationship is going to be bittersweet without a doubt, and I had originally made this story to make fun of yaoi story cliches. I _hate_ stories/mangas where two words in, the couple's already popped the cherries. It's annoying. So I've pretty much made Giotto and Tsuna the anti-cliche – or rather, just a realistic take on it, and I'm not gonna lie. It's been slow development, and as a writer, it's pretty risky to go this long, a heckworth of 100K without even as much as a kiss. But I did it. You guys praise me for my characterization, and that's what I've been doing – characterization.

Now, if Tsuna and Giotto are the anti-cliche, do you know what else I planned? All of the cliché, dorky fluffy stuff is planned for G.00. Well, the stuff you expect in yaoi mangas. As for Tsuna and Giotto, I don't want to rush them into a relationship, but in the three chapters, you see that Enma has already taken a liking to G. The attraction is different, the personalities are different, and the feeling to the couple is without a doubt, very different. The same with 8059. Here you have bittersweet Tsuna and Giotto, but Gokudera and Yamamato are...brash. Angsty. Forward. There was a lot more exposure to them earlier than planned, but I kind of just went with it. They're all supposed to act as foils to each other – the couple who is facing a difficult challenge (8059), the one with love at first sight (G.00), and our main one – the gradual one. Giotto x Tsuna.

I know it sucks. In fact, I probably would have given up on this story a long time ago if I was a reader. And I know a lot of people are gonna complain/have complained about it, but I really did dupe you. If I had automatically put that 8059 was also in this story in the summary, I probably would have lost half my reviewers. But in fact, I've tested your toleration levels. I know it's really irritating, but I hope you stay with the story and well, that's just my mindset with it. That's why 8059 is there, why G.00 is there, and everything. I've always liked a story that can juggle them all, and obviously, G27 is picking up. I hope it doesn't sound mean, and that you guys liked this chapter, but I really didn't have it planned so early in the story. But I've already rethought some of the plot, so I apologize if it sounds a little icky/rushed with the following events.

Anyway, that is my longest ramblings indeed. HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND THANK YOU FOR WISHING ME A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I AM INDEED -insert age here-!


	15. business and spying

**LivingGlow** xD I'm pretty sure that was what my favorite line was in the entire chapter. Haha. And...nah. I've got everything planned, don't worry. :) **FrolickingMadness **Aww, thank you. :) And this is actually my first attempt at making it ever-so "gradual." xD There are different takes on how to write a "gradual" story, but this is pretty new to me. **Fire Princess 21 **Haha. It's been a while since I updated, huh? I honestly wasn't gonna update this until next week, but I thought, sure, why not? **An Anonymous Fangirl **I really don't like a story unless the characterization is close to perfect. I'll read stories, but I won't sit through them unless the characterization has ideally caught my attention, you know? C': **Chromex3 **Aw, thanks. :) **Lireach **Originally, Byakuran was the one who would have sold the apartment to them. But in half-faith in keeping half-true to the manga, I decided to make it Irie. Or something like that, rofl. **MysticMaiden 18 **haha. **ezcap1st **Haha. Angsty stories actually get on my nerves. I'm a very happy person. xD That's probably why a lot of the story has a lot of humor. **Soulfightersu** Thanks. :) **DarkRoadHina **That's good. xD **Breathless02 **Tsuna is such a sweetheart though. xD Don't worry. There's a reason for everything. **sender unknown **Haha. Spanner and Shouichi are one of the cutest couples ever, imo. xD I do indeed enjoy them together. **PoisonedMemoir **there's a reason why Tsuna is so indifferent about it. C': **-Optomistic Emo Kleptomaniac- **Sixteen. C': **ToniChanLovesCookies **Tsuna was out of it the entire chapter. I'm surprised no one commented on his behavior; but I suppose because of his shyness that's what people mistook it for. And he actually stated, much earlier when they first met, that if he was straight, then Tsuna would most likely go for Kyoko because she's so pretty. xD But...you know. He sorta came out of the closet a while back. Aha. **sakuramiyuki0 **si. **Metamorcy **I've been meaning to review for you; I've been so busy that I haven't. I'll do that in a little bit. If I think about it, I'm kinda not even putting this story with the bunch of other stories. xD It's got its own methods of dealing with things. And yeah. A lot of things in this story, I'll put, "Hm, this would be cool." Yamamoto and Gokudera were actually supposed to be catfighting more before it came out of the bag that Yamamoto already confessed. Probably not until this chapter. Aha. **pamellka **Thanks. xD **Rainbowbubble **It's my favorite line out of the entire story. Aha. For some reason everyone just loves my sense of humor. xD Idk why. **Lickumz **Oh, the great fortune of plot devices. ;D **Manquez Sardonique **Haha. Pig-sex. **KonataIzumi1 **Thank you so much; your review made me a little happier after venting a little during my last author's note, haha .**TsukikoIchihara **lmao. Depends. My interpretation on "rated M" is kinda different from others. xD **HibirdlovesNamimori **Huh. I suppose if you would really like to translate the story, you can go ahead. C': That's really sweet of you; it's the first time I've ever been offered that. **Gin Nanashi **That was the whole point. C': Giotto's point of view = win. And Tsuna is a pushover. That's the only reason why he made that date. Just saying. xD Haha. And don't worry. I'm a happy person too. A lot of this story has humor in it, with what I like to call little quirks. I don't think I could honestly write a real angsty story simply because it'd put me in too bad of a mood. **Twilight Emo Wind Goddess **I can't promise you on that one, but alright. C': **Dremagon **If I were to write a story with straight lemon in it, I think I would. xD It'd be one orgie of a story, but that's an interesting challenge. Maybe I'll look into it. **SoulReaper Rukia **Nah. xD I have stuff planned. r**outasu **Dude. I love, love, _love_ that drawing you did for me. When you Pmed me the link actually didn't go through, and my friend found it and sent a link to me. I can tell you that I could not stop smiling as I saw that picture. The second I saw it, it kinda fueled me to write this chapter even though I wanted to be a bum about it. I loved it, _so_ much. I actually wrote a comment on dA for you, but idk if you got it. xD The really weird part is, I've always seen your work around, the name just never clicked for me. Aha. And, thank you. C: SO MUCH. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M. **Thanks. xD I'm glad you like it so much, and also...rofl. Yes. G.00 was the crackiest pairing ever and I never expected it to blow out of proportion. It was more like, "Eh, why not?" since they were already there anyway. I expected, "Well, that couple is a little odd, but okay." So I'm with you there. xD They make a good plot device though. Koisuru Boukun is one of my favorite works because it takes a spin on the typical yaoi manga. The story is different, and a the same time very similar to a lot of other works. Her artstyle is gorgeous, and the development of the overall characters is very sweet. Often all you hear is the uke's thoughts and how insecure they are, but the seme cracks me up and Senpai is...well, senpai. xD When working with 8059, I think of Koisuru Boukun and Junjou Egoist. **I Got U ** by Blake Lewis, **You'll Be In My Heart**, Teddy Geiger version, **For You I Will _(_With Confidence) **by Teddy Geiger, **I Caught Myself **by Paramore (Enma's POV), **Which to Bury, Us or the Hatchet **by Relient K (Tsuna's POV). The last two is how I view 2700/0027. c': **Seriyuu **Hehe. Yes'm! **373 **Aww, thank you so much! **The RPers HELL group. **Hehe. Bromance. **Kanberry **Aww, ROLL! ROLL! **Ophianara Blade **Haha. I'm actually in astronomy this year. I wasn't sure if I wanted to take physics, but kinda regret not. C': **Mel-Chama **Tsuna cracks me up when he's all drugged up. xD I always have my vexations when it comes to him, simply because his portrayal can be wrong. When it comes to this story, I've kinda toned him down a little; but I guess people still think he's in character. C': **Happy2Bme **Actually, as sweet as it is, you don't have to praise me. xD I think it's so nice when reviewers do that, but I'd love to hear your commentary on the story alone, too. I love hearing my reviewers' interpretations of the plot so far, so don't worry too much. I don't pair Tsuna off with many people. I'll probably get cut for this but...I don't care for Mukuro, Hibari, or even Byakuran. xD You know when I care for them? When Hibari is with Chrome, and Mukuro and Byakuran are together. That's it. I'll admit they're cool, but in all honesty, I find Spongebob more interesting than they are at times. **AAAA **You see, the thing about that is in relative time, the two have only known each other for like...two months. Three at most; I've lost count. xD So the fact that just now, you have Giotto, who is just now attracted to Tsuna for his body, and Tsuna, who from the very beginning was intimidated because he found his brother drop-dead gorgeous. I'll mention that in the chapter after this one. **5minutes-to-midnight **The song is very sweet; and that's what I love about it. xD I'm twisting it a little, yes indeed, but we'll see how it goes. **VongolaPrimo27 **Well, I really don't care much for Hibari's character, so I kinda overlooked that by accident. Aha. In this story, I suppose you can interpret it as, "My idiot uncle is fucking that herbivore again. Ugh." And kinda just leaving that matter alone. I dunno. **gracefulsunshine **Well, Miss Sunshine, how are you? Ahehe. WAIT I ALREADY REPLIED TO YOU. I THINK. ...right? Rofl. Reading back, I realized that I mentioned yen before US dollars, so now I'm kinda at a loss. But since Giotto is an international businessman, I guess they would use US currency. Or something like that. Aha. **-angels cry018- **Sorry. xD; I don't go for rape. y**amiatemyugi **Giotto really didn't get to analyze his feelings much when it came to it. xD In all honesty, I'm hoping readers get the idea that he just shoved the thought in the back of his mind because falling for his brother would be ridiculous. For now, at least. s**harebearthedeathbear **Haha, that's how I got into yaoi in the first place! Well. I think I saw a yaoi story when I was little, freaked out, and came back to it later wondering if I liked it. c': **pHIL **I'm assuming your capslock is busted or something? Haha. You'll just have to wait and see~** Eyes17k **Haha. You'll see! **Chocolate Fax Machine **I'm committed to 2700 because I'm tired of Tsuna being the uke in a relationship. Is that a bad thing? Rofl. I'm doing a different interpretation of 'May I', but I can promise you'll die from cuteness. Woohoo. c**opycat-capycot **Aheeheehurrhurha. I'm really interested in making an 8059 story to see how you'd react. xD I'mma look up all your reviews from this story and just...lulz. You went from being in denial to being somewhat in denial. **Unknown **Ahh, you're good. c: **YukataKitsune **Haha. Yamamoto and Gokudera are dragging, imo. I'm sure everyone in that school already thinks they're together. xD The song is just love, man. k**ittytheangel **haha. Your review is long. And I stayed up writing this chapter. So I'll reply saturatedly next time, man. xD But thanks. In all honesty, I didn't notice that I overused blushed. Normally something like that just gets on my nerves; but I've gotten to the point in my writing where I've tried to be blunt about it. Normally you'll see me go, "Red skewered his face" or "Pink danced across his cheeks", etc etc. I did watch out for that in that chapter. So thanks. c': **Yura-chan **I've actually seen a lot of fanart where Giotto has...an "odd" personality. Odd likings, odd preferences, and kinda kookie. That's how I interpreted him in this, and he's still the big-brother type, but he's turned very dynamic. I'm not even sure how he'll act by the end of the story, haha. **akanekari **Omigod. I couldn't stay up past four. xD But gracias, chica. Your reviews actually was one that stayed in my head for a while; I'm really happy with the reviews I got this time 'round, they've made me think. So thanks. **xRynnX **lksdfjadj. Aw, thanks. The End. =D **Linnie-lit **Aw, thank you so much! And yeah. In all honesty though, they're pretty static characters. xD I haven't been able to find vital parts for them, other than the minor-vital parts. **InfinityOnTheRun **Haha, thanks. I've had that scene planned in my head for the longest time, actually. But it's not so much that he's starting to fall for Tsuna as much as it is that the idea's been planted in his head. We'll see what happens after he can get his thoughts together. **Akitsuki Akira** Haha! I do love that analysis! So thank you very much, that was really interesting to read. I guess to explain myself, I'll have to...well, explain myself. I like semes with the oddest quirks. In all honesty, if I could have an adorkable seme, then I'd love it. So Giotto's quirk is the fact he can't drive to save his life – and doesn't realize he's a horrible driver. G's quirk is that he's a worrywart of a mother. Their humor and bantering is really...well, _weird._ If I didn't know what they were talking about, I'd think they were freaks. And that's an interesting way to put their chemistry – Giotto's wit and Tsuna's bluntness, but I can't help but think that that's a good way to say it. xD A character isn't perfect – and one of the things I hate is when Tsuna is depicted as a crybaby. He's had his dreadful moments in this story, but...I think the only time he's cried or sniffled is when that used condom was on his foot a _way_ long time ago. And...eh. I'm good. xD READ.

**chapter fifteen has **business and spying.

G was still watching Tsuna when Giotto got home. It was odd, the redhead thought, when Tsuna just went to sleep. For the past two days since Enma left, and he rarely left the house. Often, G would catch the brunet lost in his own little world, worry seeping across his features.

"You can tell me if anything's wrong, you know," G had said once he came to the apartment.

"Oh," Tsuna replied, like he didn't notice G the first time, "Uh, it's fine, G-san. Don't worry about it."

Which kind of hurt. For the past months he had thought Tsuna and he had gotten closer. For the teenager to be so upset and not say a word was...like it was the very first day when Tsuna came to him.

However, he worried more when the door shot open, violently rammed into the wall, and ended with Giotto leaning into Alaude, eyes doubled in size and complexion horrified.

"What the hell happened to him?" G stood up, shocked. But he knew Alaude wouldn't do this. It wasn't a lewd game they would play in the dark—Alaude treated Giotto well, and vice versa.

"The kid fall asleep?" Alaude asked, eyes casually falling to the lump on the couch wadded in blankets. "Good. I had to drive him home." He flicked the light on and disregarded the slumbering teenager.

Once G was closer, his hand twitched and threatened to curl into a fist. Worry bubbled in the pit of his stomach, and he couldn't remember the last time he saw his best friend – his _brother_, _practically_ – lost.

Pale. Trembling. Mouth agape, and so detached from the world that a friend had to reel him back. Even then Giotto was such a sight that G didn't know what to say.

"My research," Alaude said simply. "My tracking. All these years, trying to figure out where he was, and he goes to a phone booth, has the nerve to _call_, and simply chirps he will be making a visit sometime soon."

Alaude was a man with little patience. He was easily enthralled in whatever he did (which made forensics a convenient subject for him), and cracked a violent joke or two that they would later find out wasn't just a joke. Alaude had the humor of a homicide detective, but the loyalty of a guardian to his mafia boss. The term of endearment – _boss –_ came from their younger days in college and stuck.

Endearment was something they needed now.

"Let's get him to the bed," muttered the redhead quietly. His mind was in a daze. Alaude's grip around Giotto's figure hadn't lessened. His flesh was as white as his hair, expression tight as they made it across the room. G spared one glance to the slumbering brunet. Luckily, Tsuna looked as if not even an earthquake would wake him.

As Alaude and G helped Giotto to the bed, the redhead noticed the little things about the blond – the creases under his eyes, which made him look wise beyond his years – _or to show that he knew better._ A small freckle rested on the top of Giotto's eyebrow, and G remembered as a young kid he liked to kiss it.

"It's shaped like a heart, you know," his blond, four-year-old accomplice would reply. Giotto would grin back then, and he stated it proudly, _loving _to steal attention away from brother Dino when he had the chance.

Giotto wasn't smiling. He wasn't trying to steal attention – he needed it. _Badly._

Giotto fell to the bed with a small thump, but he didn't dare lay down. His once fiery eyes lacked their warmth; lacked their ferocity, and had delicately been destroyed.

"Daemon." G finally spoke. For a second, he ignored Giotto, taking rest to the spot next to his best friend, and looked at the silvery-haired adult. "That's who you've been tracking, isn't it?"

"The only other person who had a lead on him was Xanxus." Alaude eyed him carefully, as if he couldn't find the right words for this. Which was a rare feat. Alaude spoke his mind, and rarely did he have to pick his words out.

G watched, and he saw the way Alaude tenderly cupped Giotto's face. He pressed his forehead against the shorter man, blond hair mixing with silvery-white. In that instant, Giotto suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, mortified, and pushed the taller adult away. He curled up, lost in his own little world, and it was obvious what he wanted. Or at least, _didn't_ want.

_Don't touch me._

Giotto had trust issues from time-to-time. Ever since Daemon, he let very little people – anonymous people – close without warning. The first person to tug his heart strings since Daemon Spade would have been...Tsuna. And the other brother was currently lost in his own thoughts, equally as detached.

Alaude barely bat an eyelash. He expected this to happen.

"Daemon Spade not only tore down Giotto's reputation as a person, but the boss's humanity." In a sweet manner, G watched as Alaude stroked Giotto's hair. The other didn't care. He was like a child with tear-stained eyes who had just been slapped by a parent.

"It was both," G corrected. The way Alaude's blue orbs gazed into Giotto's form, the redhead would have mistaken it for true love. He often questioned the worth in Giotto and Alaude's relationship. On many occasions he would see the way Giotto smiled – his same, truly charming grin that made young bachelorettes throw babies at him – or how Alaude would swat Giotto away during work before catching his face and initiating a kiss. As far as he knew, Giotto and Alaude never exchanged the "L" word, and rarely did his best friend toss it around because it was as simple as that – he didn't like tossing it around.

And Alaude's gestures were always analytical.

G watched, half-interested, but continued the conversation. Daemon..._Daemon Spade._ The name boiled the tip of his tongue, and he could feel his fingers curl into the elbow of his dress shirt. "He soiled Giotto's self-confidence. Alaude – what are we going to do?"

And with that, the same _holier-than-thou_ look of distaste flickered across blue eyes, but only for a second. Alaude then looked up, reluctant, before running a hand through his hair. In instinct, G put a hand on the school chairman's shoulder. "Get your hand off my shoulder."

"Giotto is currently incapacitated." G's eyes narrowed, first to his best friend, and then to his best friend's lover. Giotto wasn't listening to them. "This isn't the time to lock yourself up and figure out a plan. The last time he came, he ruined the name Vongola. Until Giotto can gather his thoughts, we have to work together. You trust me, don't you?"

"Trust is a very delicate thing." Alaude and G, surprisingly to most people, held a very secure relationship with one another. 'Trust', as the chairman put it, was fragile between them, but they carried respect for one another. However, at the moment, it appeared otherwise. With a sudden jolt, Alaude jerked his shoulder way from the redhead's hand. He offered a look, one of great worry to the blond, and G caught sight of the bags under Alaude's eyes.

It'd been an important project. Alaude was able to pass things off, head held high and without a care, but in all honesty, Alaude was very passionate about his job. He was very loyal to Giotto, even if he rarely showed it.

"I'll keep you updated," said the other adult. As brusque as he entered, Alaude left the room. G waited until he heard the front door shut before turning to his best friend, who was lost in his thoughts.

G touched a hand to Giotto's face, worry bubbling in his stomach as he awaited a reaction.

"Want a beer?" G offered a smile, fingers molding around the contour of his best friend's face. Orange orbs lacked their flare, and for the second time in G's life, he saw his best friend as a frail child, too afraid of the world around him.

Silence. The room – the entire house, even – was deaf, and the heart of G's entire life sat there, different from the natural-born leader he was in his youth. Beer wasn't going to help. Until Daemon came...

"Yeah." He was pissed. He was scared. And...so was Giotto. Giotto was terrified. "I didn't think so."

OoOoO

As far as Reborn was concerned, he truly didn't care for the school. Originally he had been sent to Namimori all those years ago by Celeste and the elder Vongola heir – Dino – to look at Vongola Jr. He didn't care if his students didn't amount to anything – so long as they amounted to _something._ His favorite student quite possibly, would have to be the Sawada kid.

Ah, Tsuna Sawada. _Ye of little fate. _It was because of Reborn and his ambitions, he was certain, that that phrase had been coined.

Tsuna Sawada interested him to a great degree, surprisingly enough. He noticed very many quirks, similar to how Giotto would react when he was a child – and again, how very little they acted alike.

As Reborn casually entered the classroom, cowboy hat tilted to the side, he rested a boot on the desk of none other than Takeshi Yamamoto. The class sat, dead silent, and he cracked a grin before digging his hands into pockets of his cow-skinned trousers.

"Howdy, class," greeted the teacher. Funny, he thought. His class should have been used to this by now. Instead of wasting casualties, he leaped onto Takeshi's desk and sat cross-legged. "Today we will be learning about that pathetic-excuse of a Spanish man, Christopher Columbus, and how he – yes, Tachibana?"

"This is math, isn't it, Reborn-sensei?"

"Hn. Well, I was simply trying to come up with a valid excuse for this cool outfit. But if you'd rather write an essay while I tell you the truth, then very well." The Spartan teacher offered a mild grin and pressed a hand to his hip. "It's laundry day. Since my good suit is at the dry cleaner's, I decided that I would wear this."

"So...you have suits, and a cowboy..._?"_

"Costume."

"For Halloween?"

Reborn grinned. "If you want to call it that." He watched – and waited. Suddenly, the glow was very apparent across the poor girl's face, and while other students decided best to not acknowledge their teacher's sanity – or there lack of. "Today we will be learning about logarithms..."

Today, he threw three pencils aimed for Tsuna's head. Since the week had started only a few short days ago, Reborn wasn't surprised. Ever since Monday, the brunet was lost in his own little world, uncaring for those around him.

Three pencils. Each time to get the attention of one neglectful teenager –

"You. Sawada – pay attention."

"Wh...what? Oh...s...sorry."

– which was how the teacher's morning had gone. Reborn prided himself on the fact that he didn't easily get emotionally attached. In many ways he was like the Vongola boys, and often he wondered if that trait passed onto students from years before. He was the type of person who allowed himself to blend into the background, calculating and observant. It was one of the reasons why he picked up math so long ago, enamored with the subject's complexity, which often made hours go by.

Being the teacher wasn't always just for the money – or for the discussions with the students. What made being a teacher, tutor, instructor, and all of those other inspirational words, was the fact that from the beginning where a student was planted in the ground, the teacher knew by harvest, each student would bloom into their own person.

_Thought before emotions_, he told himself. Think before you speak, because only shit would come your way if otherwise. Tsuna was the one little oddity, something that piqued his attention simply because he was different from his brothers, and exactly the same.

Dino was clumsy. So was Tsuna.

Dino was hopeless. So was Tsuna.

Dino considered himself incredibly insignificant. So did Tsuna.

Dino was confident.

Tsuna wasn't.

Giotto was relaxed, but always needed to have control over the situation. Dino was a pushover; going with the flow because it would be less stressful to argue.

Tsuna was neither. The _Sawada_ kid – neither the successor to the Cavallone business, or even Vongola. Vongola, which Giotto had completely turned around in the past few years when he finally inherited the business. Tsuna often had little control of the situation, simply because he forced his opinion down.

But in all honesty, it appeared that brunet _didn't_ want control over the situation. It was possible that Tsuna was mortified by the thought for once he could have whatever he wanted since for the longest time he listened to others.

So he watched Tsuna, thoughtful to each quirk – like Tsuna would be his newest assignment. The fact the kid would freak out over every little thing cracked him up, but it so happened since the party, the teenager looked at others with a downcast expression.

Blowing the hair out of his face, Reborn readjusted the sheriff badge that completed his ensemble, and waited.

"Wait! Yamamoto...ah...ur..."

"Mm? Gokudera?" Takeshi's hand rested idly on Tsuna's shoulder before grazing skin and collapsing around the shorter's wrist. "It's been a while – I've been so busy with baseball, haha. I hear you're giving middleschoolers piano lessons now?"

Hayato Gokudera was a coy boy who stubbornly refused to acknowledge others. His face was pale, but always adorned by a sweet red blush; his instinctive response when it came to dealing with Yamamoto. "Yeah."

It was lunch now. He waited, watching between the trio, and arched an eyebrow to Tsuna, whose eyes were glued to the ground. One hand was buried deep on the teenager's pocket, tense, but went unnoticed.

"Cool." Takeshi was the type of boy most girls looked for in a husband. Gorgeous, strong, and an athlete. Unfortunately for his many fans, he openly came out with his homosexuality the year before (or so Reborn heard.)

"So uh. I know you missed me," Hayato said simply. He held his head high in the air, hand on his hip, and ran the other hand through his hair. "So. I figured I might as well eat lunch with you."

The mood shifted quickly between the two friends. Tsuna looked up, apparently slightly interested, and tilted his head in curiosity. Takeshi broadly smiled, but Reborn knew better. The tension in the athlete's face, the grip on Tsuna's hand. "I hear you've been eating in the music room with Suoh-sempai."

Hayato fidgeted, as if he was embarrassed to have been found out. The hot-tempered teenager clasped a hand to his belt – one that was out of school dress code, one might add – and shrugged. "It's...not a big deal. But I know how much you guys look up to me, so, why shouldn't I eat with you, y'know?"

Takeshi's face contorted. Oh, _God._ Where was the popcorn? Reborn tapped his table in half-attempt to be heard, but couldn't have cared less. In his personal opinion, watching his two students pirouette around the subject was like watching a bad Spanish soap opera. Mm, and Reborn had seen many of those during his time.

"I've actually been eating lunch with Mochida-senp-"

"Oh."

"Sorry guys." Tsuna's voice chimed in for the first time in what seemed like an eternity. The sweet tenor of his voice rung through the room, and Reborn quirked an eyebrow to his student. When was the last time he heard Tsuna speak for himself? The boy looked up, alarmed, but because he had interrupted his two friends. Instead, the clench he had on whatever was in his pocket tightened, and the brunet bolted for the door. "I...gotta take this."

Takeshi's hand was left out, fingers unclenched, and he blinked in confusion. Seconds later, the hand wavered and fell to his pocket. "That's the first time I've heard him speak all week."

"_Why_ have you been eating lunch with Mochida?" Hayato's mood shifted frantically. His pulse quickened, and emerald orbs darted everywhere but the athlete's face,afraid. "Why...haven't you eaten lunch with the tenth? Since he's, you know, your friend and all?"

"Ah? Gokudera—"

"It's pretty fucking disrespectful, don't you think?" Where the attitude appeared, heart lacked. Hayato was trying to cover up his feelings with an entirely different subject. "You spend all your shitless time with Sawada, and now you're spending time with Mochida? How _fucking horrible._"

"Well he is my _date_," insisted Takeshi. No longer was his voice serene. It was like watching two parents finally fight while the child was out of the room. An infamous argument, one neither enjoyed, was out in the open, and had the sharpness of a blade. "Why are you bringing Tsuna into this?"

"Into _what_?" But Hayato knew what. Hot damn, even Reborn knew what 'what' was. "Sawada has nothing to do with this conversation!"

"Then what does?" It was clear that the mood was dropped. Takeshi was frustrated, and Reborn had seen it in his student a countless number of times. Brown eyes flickering, an internal battle waging under stressed orbs, and clearly it had the same affect on Hayato. "What is it you want to talk about, because as far as I'm concerned, we decided a long time ago to drop this conversation."

"I'm not in love with you!" Ooh, bold statement. Hayato jabbed a finger into the other teenager's chest, and in a quick second it seemed like Hayato was heartbroken. "I've never been in love with you – or, or your faggotry, and I will _never_, ever be in love with you!"

Reborn had never truly seen the taller teenager glare. He'd never seen the frustration, the scowl, or the crinkle of his nose in the light, because out of all of his students, Takeshi easily hid his vexations.

"Alright," Takeshi said simply. And Reborn knew whatever came out of the teenager's mouth next would be said out of spite – "But that's a good thing, right? You'll never fall for me, so if I fall for someone else, everyone's happy. You can date whoever you want, and not have to worry about me. And you'll be happy because I'm not on our case. I can date whoever I want, and you'll be happy more, because it isn't you."

"I." Hayato was reduced to a stammer. He didn't know what to say, at a loss, and hands too his side. The mask the silver-haired teenager wore was adorned by a tiny crack, and his words appeared fickle. Finally, he turned his head, twisted his foot, and was off on his own, two words left in his wake:

"Fuck off."

The shorter teenager pushed past Tsuna as the brunet returned, and neither spared a glance to one another. Takeshi saw his best friend off, before struggling to smile for Tsuna.

It didn't fool anyone.

"What's wrong?" asked the brunet. His ears were pink and eyebrows were tightened as the veins in his arms throbbed.

"I..." Takeshi's face loosened ever-so slightly. "N...Nothing..." And he, too, disappeared, leaving Tsuna by himself and spun the opposite direction of his problem.

Brown eyes looked up, obviously confused, but more nervous that he was caught in the middle. "Reborn-sensei?"

"Ah?" So the stupid one noticed him.

"Do...you ever feel like sometimes all you can do is stand there and do nothing?" The brunet chose his words carefully, and was obviously lost. "Like...you know you can do something, but don't, because it would change everything?"

Had the teenager paid attention to his teacher, he would have noticed the twitch of his eyes. Reborn ground his teeth softly, and – "Tsuna. I'm dressed as a cowboy. By now you should realize that I'm the king of awesome and you're the awful peasant boy from down the street. I can smite the shit out of you."

Suddenly the teenager shivered, face flushing from the very thought and he grimaced. His expression read, _Somehow I believe that_. Tsuna left the room with a muttered goodbye.

Reborn waited a few seconds before standing up from his seat and directing himself to the teacher's lounge. Ten minutes were left before the lunch period was over, and he meant to get coffee.

Stupid, no-good students.

OoOoO

When Giotto first declared he wanted to move the business to Namimori, G thought his best friend was crazy. Celeste was hesitant in allowing her youngest son to inherit the company, simply because his thoughts wandered elsewhere often. Most people would think that handling a business before being fresh out of college was a bad thing. And it was.

Yet somehow, G thought with approval, Giotto made it work. Originally Dino had been the one who was trained in business, and that he was. In the business world, many families left the fortune of a clan to the eldest child. Rather than picking up where his mother volunteered to leave off, Dino found an interest in horses and their grandmother's company.

In the long run, he suspected that because Giotto was expected to make his own name for himself in the name of Vongola, Dino wanted to help Giotto through. Not many people were informed of his best friend's business history. Here and there, Hayato would ask about the great Giotto Vongola, but G carefully chose his words.

There was a gap between the stories. A huge gap, much like the one unfolding today.

G looked back to his best friend's brother, who stood behind him nervously. Chocolate brown orbs wandered around the elevator, anxious, and somehow it calmed the redhead. Anxious Tsuna meant that he was back to normal.

"It's going to be your first time here, isn't it?"

In an instant, the teenager's cheeks exploded into a sweet shade of red. Tsuna pressed a hand to the tail of his shirt and leaned into the adult. "What..._does_ Giotto do for a living?"

"As you know, Giotto inherited Vongola from his family." They stepped out of the elevator, and the familiar marbled floors of the second floor. Tsuna shifted nervously between his feet next to him, and G guided the teenager past the empty desk toward the office in the back, shared by both Giotto and G. "What Vongola Inc. does is different from generation to generation. Before Giotto had a handle over it, his mother branched off her father's business. Vongola is all about substance."

"Substance," repeated Tsuna, like he was trying to figure it out for himself.

"Security. Omniscience." G continued, and sat Tsuna down in front of his desk. "The company was raised to bring fear to all of its inhabitants, and even then only a trusted few are allowed to know what goes on. Vongola Inc. buys out different companies, and uses them for its own. They buy stocks of those who are struggling, but once the company is back on its feet, its absorbed into Vongola. There are the main links in the Vongola business, and then the branches that manage on their own. Whatever product Vongola's stock has produced, the Vongola name is stamped upon it."

"So how did Giotto change it?" Red eyes looked at the teenager curiously, and the teenager flushed. "Y...you said _was._"

"There were..." G grimaced. "_Complications._ Originally, Giotto would speak to the smaller businesses himself, but nowadays, I go with him as his personal adviser. He chooses the businesses carefully, once in a while taking a challenge because it's a hobby, and lets them go when he sees them fit. Although originally, companies would be put on stock and Vongola Inc. would take them, turn them into its own, and not let them escape. Many businessmen were hesitant to go that route because a contract with Vongola was a contract for life.

"Giotto disliked the circumstances, and changed it around. Once he was done with a business and his methods of getting them on their feet, he lets the businesses go. Because there is not a legal binding to it, many businesses, large and small, look to Vongola for support. Trustful alliances are made, and Giotto's name is thrown out here and there. They _pay_ Vongola Inc. to help them out."

Looking back to the brunet, G caught Tsuna in deep thought. The brunet rested his hands on the other side of his brother's best friend's desk, and nodded slowly, understanding. "He..._does_ always have papers with him."

"Companies contact Giotto night and day. By now he's gotten used to it, but the personal approach is easiest to gain their trust." But G was _always _there when a meeting take place. On occasion, Alaude would barge into the meeting, and they sat like the mature adults they weren't. "Giotto holds his reputation as a businessman very dearly. To give an inheritance to the second of the family is very rare."

Somehow, Tsuna managed to quirk at this. "How so?"

Uh. "Well," G said thoughtfully, "there are some families who only have one heir so that the successes do not have to be divided between siblings."

"Like...?"

"Like...Shimon, I suppose." The last he heard, Shimon owed a huge debt to other, larger corporations. Out of all the companies in the business world, G hadn't the faintest idea why he chose that one, but continued. "Shimon was a good friend of the Vongola. They go way back, but their rules are strict: there is to be one heir, and one heir only."

"What...would happen if they had another kid?"

G's face contorted. He reached into his drawer, idly reached for a cigarette, and lit it with ease. Tsuna crinkled his nose, but was used to it. "Funny you should say that."

"O...Oh?"

"There was...an incident between their heir, Cozart, and Giotto when they were younger." G grimaced, and flashbacks of when they were in their teens came to mind. There was a new kid at their school; one with red hair who hid it under a hat so no one would see. Giotto had immediately become enticed with this redhead, taking him everywhere they went. It was around the time Marisol and he were dating, and soon after the pair broke up, G had wandered around the school and found his best friend making out with the new kid.

Not a pretty sight.

"Cozart's father and Giotto's mother quickly clipped ties before an alliance could happen between them. And other rumors floated around." G looked back to Tsuna, pitying, but offered nothing else. "They say the Shimons ended up baring another child, but not many people know the story behind it."

Tsuna tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, 'what do you mean'?" G cracked a wry smile and shrugged. "Cozart was Shimon's heir. The family traditions in their family are very fragile – and if there was another kid, he or she doesn't exist under the eye of Shimon. Cozart's family would probably hire an assassin to kill him, or ship him to the other side of the world, if they had to, so that their reputation wouldn't be tarnished."

"That's..." Tsuna's eyes widened. "That's awful...!"

"Cozart died a few years back." The adult's smile dropped. "He was diagnosed with leukemia quite a while ago, and his body couldn't handle the stress. Giotto was devastated for the lost. Ever since his death, Giotto has been trying to make an alliance with Shimon again. Their company is at a loss, and their heir is a five-year-old little girl."

"Five-year-old little girl? B...but..."

"Shimon would have to have an heir." G shook his head disdainfully, suddenly wishing he hadn't told the story of Shimon of all people to the teenager. "After Cozart was diagnosed with cancer, they weren't going to risk whether or not he was able to fight it."

"And the little boy they weren't supposed to have earlier?" When he looked to the brunet, he realized he could see the fire in his eyes. Giotto's flames, so enthralled and full of passion, flickered in the brown orbs above him. Tsuna was at his wits, above his seat, and clenching the desk around him.

"What..." He arched an eyebrow. "What makes you assume the rumor is true? For Shimon to have three heirs?"

Tsuna backed off. The teenager's small hands unclenched the desk, as if realizing what he had just done, and he plopped into the seat under him. "I..." There was a hiccup in his voice, and G waited for an answer. Strange.

What was going on with the two brothers?

Finally, the brunet pushed his thoughts away and fumbled with the desk in front of him. "What's...what's my job?"

_To be a kid and stop worrying about everything._ "Filing papers. Typing. You'll basically work like all the interns we don't give a rat's ass for – only get paid for it."

OoOoO

Yamamoto was dressed nicely. Blue was a nice color that accentuated his features and – was that a new jacket? _No._

That was Mochida's varsity jacket, the one that everyone in the kendo club owned, with their names embroidered on the front.

"Wh...why are we here again, Gokudera-kun?"

"To get some beer." _Not_ to spy on his best friend. Hayato's fingers twisted the twigs and bush around him, and he pushed his glasses to the bridge of his nose. It was Friday. Yamamoto had this date planned for at least a week, and Hayato was simply waiting for it to unfold.

Unfortunately for him, that meant Sawada had to be dragged along. According to G, Giotto wasn't feeling well. Because Giotto wasn't feeling well, the redhead had taken over all of his best friend's duties, and that left the ex-brother-in-law in charge of his role model's brother. He could deal. It totally didn't matter.

If it counted for anything, Sawada had been by himself the entire week and staring at his phone. Hayato simply dragged him along, and sure, along the way they _would_ get beer, but for now...

Spying on Yamamoto seemed much more productive.

Hayato didn't know why. His hands clenched the bushes, and Sawada breath was at his neck, worried and confused. Fortunately for the hothead, the other teenager had no other choice but to follow along. He didn't know why Yamamoto's words affected him so dearly, and he wished they hadn't.

He'd been confused about his feelings ever since Haru and he parted ways, and couldn't think straight. Months of it now – listening to Asari Ugetsu, Sawada, and even Yamamoto himself about what his relationship was to and with his best friend.

_What fucking relationship?_ He often found himself scowling. The relationship between Yamamoto and he was ruined.

Yamamoto was pining over someone else's affections now. But...Hayato was no longer seeing Haru.

He felt as if he was missing something – something _vital_ and _important._ The more he thought about it – the sickening thought of his best friend with another person – _another man _– hit his ego hard. His heart would clench and ache, and he felt suffocated by his own self-doubt.

Oh God.

Why the fuck was he doing this, again?

"Mochida-senpai!"

Hayato cocked his head, the broad sound of Yamamoto's voice slapping him right in the cheek. They hadn't spoken to each other since Wednesday – since that stupid fight. Nowadays, that's all they were having. Stupid fights with no right or wrongs, and the gaping hole in their friendship widened.

The bitch-tastic upperclassman showed himself, ridiculous smile spread across his lips, and stick-thingie strapped to his back. Pfft. Hayato rolled his eyes. _Oh, look at me! I'm so big and cool because I hit people with a stick!_

Sticks were overrated. If it had been _Hayato_ taking Yamamoto to dinner, then he would have chosen something cooler to show off with. Like...mosquitoes. Or bombs-

Fuck yes.

"Hey, Tenth."

"Y...Yeah?"

"When we go to get beer, remind me to get some TNTs and dynamites, you got it?" He played with little smoke bombs, stink bombs, and cherry bombs over the years, but never actual explosions. Take _that_ Mo-stick-da dickface.

But..._no._ No. No, no, no. No-fucking-douching-way.

Mochida closed the space between his date, and Yamamoto's grin spread widely across his face, accomplished and satisfied. The upperclassman wrapped a hand around his kouhai's wrist allowed the baseball idiot to lean into him. All...A-All in attempt to be a douche and –

"You look nice," muttered the older teenager seductively, voice dropped ten times deeper than originally. "That jacket looks really good on you."

– he did _NOT _sound like a sex god! Why did his best friend's brown eyes flutter; why was he smiling so warmly? Frustration tugged on Hayato's heart. Only _he_ should be smiled at like that. Yamamoto was only allowed to smile at _him_.

"Haha, you look great too." Yamamoto ran a hand through his hair. Wait. Was he actually..._nervous_? "Sorry, ah. This is my first date – " _WHAT? _" – I just don't want to end up screwing it up for you."

"You mean for us." The kendo captain flashed supportive smile. His hand grazed the delicate design on Yamamoto's jacket sleeve, and intertwined their fingers. Red fluttered across his best friend's face, and Hayato's hand twitched. He'd never seen his best friend blush. "I'll be a good date. I'll treat you well."

_No way._ "Aha...haha. So, what are we doing?" He was so not buying this shit. He couldn't be.

Mochida grinned like batshit and grazed his fingers down the line of Yamamoto's jaw. "It's still early, but I figure we can start off with dinner. There's this new ramen joint that's opened down the street, and your old man's always on the lookout for competition."

"A date and research?"

"Yup! And then we can go watch that new Harry Potter movie that came out. After that, to get the blood flowing, I figure we can go to the batting cages and finish off our date the—Takeshi?" _Takeshi_?

"What? Oh, haha. That just sounds like a spectacular date!"

Spectacular. Yamamoto said spectacular.

"Gokudera-kun—"

"What the fuck do you want?"

"Um, I just don't...feel comfortable spying on Yamamoto during his date."

"We're not spying on him. We're picking up bee—shit, where did they go?" Hayato stood up – but the last thing he expected was for his best friend to be staring straight at him, parted by only the bush in between.

"Gokudera?" Yamamoto blinked. Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed, and the silver-headed teenager found himself quoting Murphy's Law: _anything that can go wrong, __**will**__ go wrong._ "What are you doing here?"

Mochida-jackass had the stupidity to comment. "I knew I smelled cigarettes somewhere."

Uh-oh.

OoOoO

He had never felt this weak.

For the longest time, Giotto prided himself on the ability to stay calm. He disliked it when his was authority was challenged (but not to the extent of Alaude) and inherited the trait of adaptation for his brother. If there was a problem that he couldn't solve, then he looked at it from a four-dimensional standpoint. He understood that when things couldn't go his way, then he would have to mold into his problem.

Tsuna was the perfect example. Often before the teenager came to live with him, Giotto shoved his little brother in the back of his mind. It was easy to do so; they had two separate lives and the chances of ever meeting again were like a billion to one. When his mother called him all those months ago, told him to make preparations for his little nuisance, Giotto had no choice but to agree.

Celeste was Mommy. Saying no to Mommy was like saying no to Hitler.

They had gotten into arguments, but as far as Giotto was concerned, they road it out. Instead of solving the problem, he went along with it. Tsuna wasn't a problem anymore.

But his body hurt. All the air in his lungs had evaporated, and a knife delved into his heart. Blood dripped, pained by what had happened in the past, and the rest of the week had been a blur. He hadn't changed his clothes in three days.

He wouldn't have even gotten out of bed that Saturday afternoon, if that incessant knocking hadn't occurred. That was right. Today was the day Reborn would be tutoring Tsuna.

As Giotto opened the door, the last thing he expected to see was his best friend, the sushi-delivery boy, and his brother's teacher.

"Tsuna's missing."

**Author's Note: **

That review wall gets bigger every time, guys. xD But thanks so much; I love it when you comment on this story; I've been a lazy bum on this chapter, so it doesn't make some sense, so I'll explain it to you a little. You've probably shrugged it off, but the reason why it's been in every person's point of view but Tsuna's is because they don't _notice_ Tsuna. They don't see that he's troubled, and that's why at the bottom you get the whole, "Tsuna's missing" thing.

And now...you know what Reborn's thinking. And I kinda just wanted to write him in a cowboy suit, so...yeah. Aha. There was actually a little moment mentioned with Reborn's love life in that section, but I cut it out. I think kudos go to copycat-capycot for saying, "ROFL, I WANNA SEE GOKUDERA SPY ON THEIR DATE." but I could be wrong. And, well, Gokudera wasn't very smart when it came to that, obviously. This chapter is pretty choppy – but it'll all be explained in later chapters. Hm. I've got some original stuff up, but I doubt you'll be interested. xD SO I'LL END THIS RAMBLING WITH SOMETHING GREAT.

The lovely routasu drew me a godly fanart. It was my motivation for writing this chapter, SO THANK HER NICELY. LET HER CROWD-SURF AND WHATNOT. Link: http:/ /lancha dot deviantart dot com/art/Reborn-Make-my-whole-World-187749079


	16. redheads and brunets

**Misting Rain **You'll have to see now, won't you? ;D **DarkRoadHina **I KNOW IT IS, RIGHT? HNNNGGH~ Reborn was very much the comic relief meant for this section. And I kinda wanted to imagine him in a cowboy suit. xD **Hexshell **You'll just have to read! And no. This story is in no way related to the mafia; just easter eggs in tribute to the actual series. xD **LivingGlow **Dude you must be blind; I hinted very muchly. xD Or I just didn't hint well enough, oh well. **Rainbowbubble **That's good. c: I like your name! :D** Breathless02 **Giotto was too stunned to move by himself. The beginning was to show how torn Giotto made him. C: **sender unknown **WOO. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **Omfg, I love you too? xD The song I honestly listened to was Raise Your Glass by Pink, but I'm in the middle of planning a music video for it. And yeah, the songs are for the manga. C: **Dremagon **You'll see~ **Plushiepaw **Haha. Because it's chapters, I keep forgetting my reviewers are always thinking, and it leads me to worrying on whether or not I'm too obvious in this story. xD Just saying. **Kichou** You have no idea, but I think you're my favorite reviewer. xD Just saying. r**outasu **You probably didn't see it, but my reply to your reply was the fact my favorite part of that picture is Giotto's nipples. xD I'll respond to both. I am very lazy, so I agree with your sentiment. Dude, I'm not gonna force you to do anything. xD I can tell you one way to get into my heart – a G.00 image. But your fanart made me so accomplished as a writer; I've only seen a few with fanart from people, and they're good writers. For you to draw me something really did brighten my day and boosted my happiness. :) So if you never draw me anything ever again, I'll be okay. But I can tell you now that the entire time I wrote this chapter, I looked to that picture for inspiration. xD **Eyes17k **Inorite? p**amellka **Mm. Write me a prompt and I'll write you a smut. :D COWBOY REBORN FTW. **Mirriox **You wanna know something odd? I get you and Metamorcy confused not because of your names, but because you two are the only two authors atm where I bother to read KHR fiction. xD Aha. **YukataKitsune **We all know women have their secret language. "You don't have to get me anything!" actually means, "I expect a surprise." I wonder how Gokuderaian works. xD And yeah. The chapters have been getting shorter to get crisp and to the point. a**kanekari **Giotto...I like my kookie semes. They have to have an oddness about them that is strange, but very likable, and yeah. xD While I don't have _God_ Giotto, I try to work with what the manga has said about his morals rather than his title. f**unnyhappyday **Oh, goody! Someone who noticed that! The thing about Daemon is, I have it planned in my head, but I'm worried that it won't live up to the expectation of my readers. So...we'll get there when we get there. I wanna draw cowboy!Reborn. =D **Lireach **Misuses of words = Zeph shouldn't write at three in the morning and then edit at five in the morning. Aha. Giotto's **An Anonymous Fangirl **The way I write is weird. End of story. Aha. And...you're welcome! **Manquez Sardonique **You know what else raises blood pressure? ...buttsecks. e**zcap1st **With Reborn, I'm not sure. And...for a genius, Gokudera really isn't that smart. xD **xRynnX **WAHOO. **Metamorcy **Aha. You remind me of a friend of mine, actually; just from your mannerisms. And I always confuse you and Mirriox – not because you two have the same letters or name, but because you two are the only two authors that I read stories from about KHR atm. **Mel-Chama **Yessuh! x**ryuchan27 **The funny thing is...it gets longer because I ramble more, not because I get more reviews. xD I average in about 50 reviews with a rare anomaly here and there. **The Rpers HELL group. **I dunno why, but you say so little words, and yet you always crack me up. xD **Gin Nanashi **SI. **copycat-capycot **Dude. I wanna write a Giotto x Cozart story. Maybe a smut. I've been craving smut. And Giotto did notice? xD Check one of the chapters that's titled with "awkward situations." MY CHAPTERS ARE GETTING SHORTER. FORGIVE ME. **Sokua **lmao. Smoking makes your penis shrink. I learned that off of omgfacts! :D **Kanberry **-hearts more- **xxxKimi-chan **Haha; thanks for commenting and putting your view on each story part! I love reviews like this! C: **silverfox princess123 **Oui. **Ophianara Blade **OMG. ME TOO. =D **ToniChanLovesCookies **Your take on this is actually really interesting. I'd feel the same way, actually, but at the same time, someone would have to tell him, you know? How would he "realize" Tsuna was missing? Tsuna leaves early in the morning before Giotto even wakes up every day, so he could be under the assumption that Tsuna left for the sushi-bar. And he's been bed-ridden and whatnot. But yeah, like I said, I see where you're coming from. xD As for G...I dunno. My take on him was supposed to be Giotto's foil. His personality was that of an adult, mature and how he's always described – calm before the storm. Generally that was supposed **Twigileia **That's really sweet of you!~ In all honesty, I really do hope this story hits 1000 reviews. I'm not gonna go as far as saying this thing is my baby, but...I'm really surprised by how many reviews I've gotten so far. To get 1000 reviews would be such a huge honor, and I'm happy to reply to all of my reviewers; I recognize about 80 percent of them, just by name now. C: So, thank you. **TsukikoIchihara **I smile. IT JUST DID. LIKE HOW YOU WERE BORN. OAO **Seriyuu **That chapter wasn't one of my bests, not gonna lie. xD But it gets across pretty decently. **Chocolate Fax Machine **Oh, heck no. :D FAX ME SOME CHOCOLATE, WILL YA? g**racefulsunshine **Nah, I'mma just keep calling you that to piss you off. JUST KIDDING. And no; but it does open up for a lot of sexual innuendos that were supposed to happen. xD I like Shimon. Well. I like Enma. :D **yueli-chan **Si! xM**emrC **Aha. Religion? I wouldn't go as far as saying it's a religion. xD I suppose I'll let you in on what was supposed to happen. Reborn goes sees his love interest in the teacher's lounge, picks up a coffee cup that says WORLD'S BEST POODLE and it gets a little angsty. xD **Fire Princess21 **Haha. **InfinityOnTheRun **Gokudera can be so hardheaded. He's actually getting on _my_ nerves. xD Like, to the point where I would just write the next chapter as "Gokudera said he loved Yamamoto. The end." Just to get it over with and move on. He's a broken record now that Haru's not in the picture. **StaplerPrincessofDoom **YES WOO. **BloodMoon-Wolf **Why, ty. :D **derorrim **LET GIOTTO NOTICE HIM NAO. p**lummy-kins **Oh, I'm good. :D **UniversalOverlordess **HEY ROOMMATE. YOU WANNA SHARE BROWNIES WITH ME? ;D You should like this chapter. C: **L.L **I actually...hate incest. It creeps me out. xD But it felt like an obligation for this story to even exist, oddly enough. r** a a i n **That fanart is beast, man. :D and, thanks. c: Your review kinda made me laugh; I got the email alert for it right after I was done writing. xD

**chapter sixteen has** redheads and brunets.

Monday was difficult, simply because he had gotten used to having Enma around again. School was hard to process, and he vaguely remembered Reborn-sensei throwing a pencil at his head. Three times. Yamamoto all of lunch sneaked glances to Mochida-senpai before finally, Tsuna shooed him off. He wanted to be left alone, anyway.

But Tuesday worried him. Enma didn't call like he normally did, and Tsuna only called at certain times when they planned ahead. Giotto and G both shared their concerns in their own different way. Now...Tsuna turned pink at the reminder of Tuesday. He dubbed it, in some twisted way, "brotherly bonding." By just the mere thought, his body grew warm with the imprint of Giotto's fingers tingling against his skin.

He wasn't sure what to think.

Giotto insisted on buying him new clothes. At first, Tsuna went along with it simply so he could stop thinking about Enma. As the blond entered the dressing room, Tsuna grew nervous. Without even realizing it, Giotto's opinion meant the world to him. Anything that Giotto did for his benefit, or against it, even, Tsuna didn't overlook. He supposed it went back to when they were younger, and his overall fear.

_You're scrawny_, he could imagine Giotto saying. _You're tiny, and the fact you're so short cracks me up. _

_And that's what makes you cute. _

He could imagine Giotto saying all of that (w-well, the first part, anyway), and it could be warm to his heart because he knew the blond loved to tease. Tsuna knew this for a fact.

As smooth hands grazed his chest, the ferocity that often crackled in his brother's fiery eyes traveled to his fingers, blazing with a sweet intensity, and caught Tsuna still. _I-It's wrong. H-he sh-shouldn't be touching..._**_there. _**Thoughts like that were blocked by Giotto's gaze.

He's never seen his brother's eyes so transfixed with something. Giotto was often calm. He was in his musings most of the time and found it a hobby to mess with G. However, still in the same light as Tsuna always saw him, the blond still held a child's fixation. _Each caress, each touch..._

His senses had gone haywire. Eek. What was he doing? Why...was he forgetting about Enma just because Giotto was making his heart flutter?

G questioned him that night. Tsuna couldn't find his voice.

Wednesday spooked him. He'd spent the entire day calling Enma and, got nothing back.

"_We're sorry, you have reached a number that has been disconnected or is no longer in service."_ Two times? Three? _Five-hundred_ times, trying to call Enma without getting an answer? Sounded about right.

G explained the history of the Shimon family, and Tsuna was outraged. His heart tripled in size and crushed his lungs as the hairs on the back of his neck burned with fury.

The rest of the week was history. Something had happened between Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto, apparently, if the silver-haired teenager was willing to kidnap Tsuna for lunch in the music room. Friday night was Yamamoto's date, and Tsuna had unceremoniously joined Gokudera in his fail-spy attempt.

No word from Enma.

The first stroke of luck possibly came that night, when G checked up on him. Giotto had fallen sick the past couple of days and hadn't left his room. G had grown worried, and the weariness was visible under his wrinkled clothes and the bags in his eyes. Knowing his brother was sick, Tsuna almost didn't leave.

But when G gave him the paycheck for the first week –_ half of a week_ – Tsuna flipped. It was enough money for new clothes, _weeks_ supply of food, and...a train ticket.

Tsuna, being Tsuna, had gotten on five wrong trains before he realized he bought the wrong tickets. In his pocket was a wallet filled with cash. His head had been spinning through the entire trip, and his heart was suffocating under his ribcage. It was a hard choice. Enma – who he had been best friends with every since they were little, holding hands and sniffling while they waited under the jungle gym while the bullies looked for them – was missing. Giotto – whose existence was becoming a comfortable second skin to him – was sick. Horribly sick.

E...Enma came first.

"Some people would say that it's insulting, b-but I don't think so, you know? I-I mean, if it's insulting to call people _fat_, then wh-why isn't it insulting to call them skinny?" Tsuna turned red. Under the night sky and street lights, his breath had grown visible in October's late night, but he acted like he didn't care.

His redheaded best friend huddled up with a small smile pressed against his lips. That was all Enma could do.

Tsuna watched carefully, quietly even, as Enma shivered in the cold wind, and pulled his hood over a tangled mess of red hair. The redhead's smile had faltered, shiver running up his spine, and his phone fell to the ground between his legs.

It was snapped in half, screen cracked, with loose wires springing out like cowlicks. The reason why Enma kept it was a mystery. Tsuna leaned into his best friend, and once the redhead was done with his ministrations, he pulled the scarf off his neck and put it around Enma's.

Scarlet red eyes looked at him and mouthed very quietly, _Thank you._

Enma lost his voice. Tsuna supposed that was the other reason why his best friend was unable to call him. With his phone broken, he couldn't text, and without a voice he wasn't able to speak. The brunet didn't asked his best friend how long his voice was gone, but he didn't want to bother.

The other teenager's cheeks were flushed, occasionally coughing, and he was in obvious pain. He would wobble from side-to-side, and Tsuna grappled the redhead's shoulder before pulling his best friend into an embrace.

"So uh," Tsuna continued, because he knew trying to get Enma to talk would be pointless. When it came to a sore throat, it was better to preserve his voice, and whispering made it worse. His eyes darted everywhere but Enma's face, uncomfortable with their surroundings. "Fat people – they're not different from skinny people, right...?"

They sat on a bench, huddled together for warmth, and Tsuna continued his ramblings. The day flashed through his mind; how he packed up his new clothes –thought_ god I am so in trouble –_ before walking early at six in the morning when the train station opened on Saturday mornings – thought_ god I am so in BIG trouble _– bought two tickets; one for a stop and the other to get to Shimon – _Omigod, I didn't buy a round trip ticket, I'm so going to be in a crap load of trouble _– went through the entire day on two trains in motion – _I'm on a train,and G-Giotto didn't allow it. I-I'm breaking the rules... O-Oh, God..._ – and arrived.

Tsuna spent a total of five hours on a train to Shimon before having to take a cab to get to the suburbs. There was still no word from Enma, and Tsuna had grown worried – _Crap, fuck, shit, I've run away from home, Giotto and G are going to kill me _– before checking with Enma's foster parents.

Adelheid Suzuki, Enma's foster sister, had opened the door. Soon behind her came Aoba Koyo, and Rauji. Personally, Tsuna never liked Adelheid. Her...b-breasts made him nervous, and the domineering look she held always intimidated him. Her prowess as the head of the liquidation committee was much like Hibari-san, who was rumored to kill anyone who broke into Namimori Middle.

"Sawada." The astonishment was heard well in her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"I...uh..." He hadn't planned this far. In the corner of the door, he could see Shitt. P doing one of her ridiculous balloon routines, and Aoba was fighting (and failing) to get to the door.

Out of anyone, Adelheid made Tsuna nervous. Aoba-kun scared him, sure, but Adelheid had the look about her that convinced the brunet they shouldn't cross.

Rauji spoke up sadly. "Enma doesn't live here anymore."

Enma...didn't..._what_? O...Out of Enma's foster siblings, he liked Rauji the most because they would sometimes play video games together. B-But... Tsuna's head ached.

"Why?" he whispered gravely, eyebrows meeting his hairline. "Wh-Why wouldn't Enma live here anymore?"

Adelheid changed the subject. "You look taller."

Aoba-kun interrupted her and pushed past the door before he was glasses-to-eye with Tsuna. "_What_? That little bitch? Bah, who gives a rat's ass about Loser Enma?"

"What'd you do to him!" Tsuna raised his voice. He _never_ raised his voice; not even to Lambo when he once stuffed a grenade in his older brother's backpack.

"He wouldn't give up that stupid ring," Aoba said sharply, like _he'd_ been the one offended instead of the other way around.

"Koyo." Immediately, the greenet shut his trap,and Tsuna could feel the rage tingling the tips of his fingers. Adelheid's gaze didn't waver, and instead looked Tsuna dead-on. "You've said enough. It was nice seeing you again, Sawada. Now, go home."

The door slammed in his face, and the noise it made as it rattled was like a punch to Tsuna's stomach. His blood ran cold, mind spinning, and he banged on the door again. No one answered. He banged a third time, then a fourth, but each attempt failed.

After the tenth time, when Aoba screamed, "FUCK IT, GO HOME SAWADA!", Tsuna ran for it.

He wasn't sure why he was running. Was it because Aoba scared him off? Because he knew Enma no longer lived with his foster parents? Because he _couldn't_ find Enma, and this wh-whole trip was a waste?

Running was when he did his best thinking. Tsuna could see everything from the corners of his eyes – the bakery where **Enma**__and he would go to buy donuts, the library where **Enma** and he would go to hide from stupid bullies, the little cafe where **Enma**_**, **_Longchamp, and he first got to know each other. I-It blurred. Oh..._Oh God._

Tears stole his vision for the first time in ages. Funny, he thought bitterly. The last time he cried was when he was stuck with his brother. If he was with his brother right now...i-if he stayed with his brother, f-forgot about Enma, then his b-best f-friend would be safe and still at home, wouldn't he?

S...sometimes Tsuna would suggest Enma move in with Nana, Lambo, and he. Enma's scarlet red eyes would suddenly sparkle, off with a far-away look, and his eyebrows would dip in longing, but he would simply shake his head.

_I can't_, Enma would say in his rare likelihood of speaking.

The redhead would never leave that home. No matter how simply chilling it appeared, Enma would stay. Tsuna had told Giotto that Mama tried getting legal custody of Enma when they were younger, but wasn't able to. He never told Giotto that the reason wh—

Something grabbed his hand. Or rather, someone. The brunet toppled over and tumbled across the sidewalk, head first. A groan escaped his lips as the last of his tears fell. The weight above him shifted, and he quickly rid himself of his troubles to see what made him fall.

"Enma," he whispered. Chocolate brown orbs widened to the unruly clumps of red hair, somber scarlet eyes, and the petite look on his best friend's face. "Enma!"

The other teenager quaked, as if trying to gather his own thoughts before his eyes locked onto the brunet. His pink lips quirked before he broke into a small smile. Tsuna found himself victim to a strangling embrace, and caught his breath. He hugged back, face buried in his friend's hair. Enma was trembling.

"Shh," said the brunet, quickly forgetting that he, too, was crying about Enma just a second ago. It was the only thing he said, and he waited in silence while his best friend finished crying.

Once they were both calm, Tsuna had helped his best friend up and couldn't hold back his worry. Enma looked skinner, if possible, like he hadn't eaten in days. Bits of grass and leaves littered his body and tangled through his hair, and smudges of dirt accented his face. _Dirt here and bruises there._ Enma looked more like skin and bone now than before the brunet moved.

Enough of that.

He snapped out of his thoughts and his ramblings about short, fat, skinny, and tall people when there was a thump to his shoulder. A hand clung to the front of Tsuna's shirt, and from the corner of his eye, he saw his best friend fast asleep and shivering. Keeping one hand on Enma's waist to keep him still, the brunet dug through his backpack to the blanket one of the stewardesses gave him. It was thin and meant for rest during transport, but it would work. He wrapped it around Enma, wondering if it was the first time in days that his best friend could feel warmth, and huddled closer.

In truth, the time was only around seven o'clock. Kids with their parents passed by at the sight of Tsuna and Enma. It was a small town where everyone knew each other. He was lucky it passed for typical between them.

Snuggling close to Enma, Tsuna dug for his phone. Forty-three missed calls. The phone vibrated again,and a picture of Giotto showed as the caller ID.

Like the calls from G, Yamamoto, and even Alaude-san, Tsuna ignored it. He closed his eyes, head pounding with guilt, and made sure Enma was warm.

Tsuna liked to think each vibration of his ring tone was added another inklet to his guilt.

OoOoO

Tsuna woke up to the sound of Enma coughing. His eyes snapped open, and he cast a look, suddenly aware of the fact that his best friend was blazing hot, yet shivering like it was a winter's day. Enma's cheeks swelled red, and he was sweating. He pressed his hand to the teenager's forehead and quickly recoiled.

Enma was _burning_. Tsuna quickly got up, face contorting, and he looked around for an exit. He had to go tell his mo – Mom was in Italy with Iemitsu planning their wedding. No...N-No, no, no, no. A-And there wasn't likely that any of the pharmacies would be o-open at this time.

Enma coughed again, and Tsuna jumped with fright. He didn't have much knowledge of medicine, other than the Children's Tylenol Lambo would have to take whenever he fell sick. The cold, along with however many days Enma had been outside in this weather, wasn't good for him. It didn't come as a shock that Enma was sick, b-but, _why now_?

The brunet looked around, alarmed. What was he going to do?

"Stay here, Enma." Not that he had any choice. The reassurance in Tsuna's tone was meant more for himself than for his best friend. He was often out with the redhead to begin with, and normally his mother took care of them when they were sick. He looked back to Enma, hesitant to leave him alone as he slid onto the bench like a bed, and took a step back.

He ran for it. Tsuna told himself not to panic, or to run too far, otherwise he wouldn't get back to Enma. There had to be at least one store that was open, right? A-And they would know what he needed to do so Enma would be okay. R-right?

Success.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips as he found a corner market with the light still open, and looked to the clerk holding a magazine to his face. He looked weary and cranky; disbelieving that a kid would come into the store so late at night.

"Sick," Tsuna panted. He put his hands on the desk, eyes widening with distraught. The clerk arched an eyebrow, apparently having not interpreted what he said, so the brunet continued. "My friend's running a fever and he's coughing and he's shivering and he's small and he's got a fever and he's lost his voice and—"

"What?"

"He's got strep!" Supposedly. The teenager gripped the desk between his fingers and wobbled to his feet. The clerk arched an eyebrow. "H-How do I treat strep throat?"

"Ah. You're gonna want penicillin."

"A-Alright, where is it?"

"We don't carry it." Tsuna's heart dropped. The clerk looked apologetic, and shook his head. "We only carry Tylenol and other simple medications. Ibuprofen would reduce his fever – but you have to understand, kid. You're still a minor. There isn't a store in Shimon – especially at this hour – who would give medication to a minor. Term of likeness or not, medications are still _drugs._"

Tsuna shook. "Oh...I...see..." He walked out of the store, deep in thought, and wandered back to the park. This wasn't good. No, this wasn't good at _all._ If no store would give him medicine for Enma, what was he going to _do_?

He got back to his best friend, but didn't expect to see someone else hovering over Enma. Wait, what? Tsuna ran closer until he could see four figures standing in front of the bench. The color had drained from the redhead's face, with only the evidence of his fever left.

"Huh." said the one with teal green hair. "It looks like this pathetic moron was left in the park by himself. With a fever, eviden—" Enma coughed. "—High fever. He's shivering. The cold isn't helping his situation – what kind of idiot would leave him out here?"

"Ne, byon!" The blond one, animal-like with a large scar running from cheek-to-cheek shoved into the green-haired one, and pointed immaturely to his best friend. "Why the fuck did we have to stop for _this_? We were going to buy beer for Mukuro, weren't we?"

"You mean buy candy for Chrome?" The one with glasses smirked.

"A-Ah? Sh-Shut up, kakipi! No, we're not buying anything for that stupid girl!"

"He's in a serious trouble," interrupted the shortest, with teal hair. "A fever of 103, at _least._"

The only girl suddenly spoke, and lowered herself. Her hair was midnight blue, and the last time Tsuna saw it, it covered most of her face. She had it pinned back, and a patch covered her right eye. Ironically enough, if it wasn't for her voice, he probably wouldn't have realized who she was. "Will he be okay, Fran?"

"Nagi." Nagi, the girl he had met while on his way to Namimori. Maybe it was the fact it was one in the morning, or his fear for Enma's ill health outshined his fear for the animosity from the blond. The girl cocked her head, apparently hesitant to take on the name, but a good look at her face let Tsuna know that indeed, it was her.

One look at Tsuna and the girl tilted her head before acknowledging him. She stood, hand on her heart, but her expression showed she was familiar with him.

"Ehh? Nagi? Who's _Nagi_? Hey, Stupid, is this your boyfriend, byon?"

"Is this your friend?" Fran spoke up. He stood to his feet, and it was then that Tsuna noticed that Fran and Nagi looked much younger compared to the other two. They looked no older than fifteen, actually. "He's gravely sick. You're stupid to leave him alone like this."

"I...Uh..." Tsuna lost his voice for a second. "I-I went to...g-go get him some penicillin—"

"And they don't offer medicine to minors. Huh. Paranoid bastards." It didn't make sense. Fran's face stayed completely intact without even the twitch of an eyebrow, and his voice was monotonous. He sounded uncaring, yet looked completely delved in his work. "Alright. Ken-niisan, Chikusa-niisan, pick him up. We'll take him back to the hideout and make sure he gets better. Chrome, go get your pathetic friend."

Again, there was no emotion in his voice.

"Alright."

"WHAT? Kakipi, you're not _listening_ to him, are you?" The blond one sounded like a dog as he whined.

Tsuna wasn't one to talk to strangers. His intuition normally told him to run, but somehow he felt a little relaxed. Nagi (or Chrome, as Fran had called her) walked forward, eyes not leaving Tsuna's gaze, before holding a hand out. She was attempting to have Fran's same tight-knit expression, but failed.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Tsuna whispered softly. Something was wrong with him tonight. Tsuna wasn't one to suddenly trust strangers, or sleep in the park like a homeless person. Then again, he never thought he would have the guts to run away, either, and he was one hundred percent sober for that one.

"Fran is good with medicine." She said nothing else, red tingling her cheeks. As Chrome turned her head, Tsuna saw the ghost of a smile adorn her lips as the elder teenagers collected Enma's body. Fran remained observant, and folded up the blankets.

"Are you coming?" His question almost didn't sound like a question. Fran's eyes flickered expectantly, and the blond one had Enma on his back. The one wearing glasses kept his hand on the small of Enma's back.

"I...Y-yeah..." Although she didn't say anything, Chrome took hold of Tsuna's hand and the brunet was forced to follow.

The subway ride was anything but quiet. Very few people road underground at night, and Tsuna found himself, while still holding hands with Chrome/Nagi, also staring as the blond one (Ken, apparently) pounded on the glass window with his tongue hanging out as if he were a dog. Chikusa (the one with glasses) sat next to him, occasionally yanking at the other's shirt to keep him down, but said nothing.

Tsuna sat between Chrome and Fran, who was keeping a careful watch on his best friend. Enma had been stripped of the scarf, jacket, and Tsuna drew the line at pants. Fran kept a hand on Enma's forehead, and his eyes on the redhead like he was a valuable test subject.

"Y...you said that his temperature was about 103, didn't you? Wh-Why do you still have your hand on him?" Tsuna turned pink as Fran's gaze turned to him. Chrome squeezed his hand, and said nothing.

The younger teenager held out his free hand and pressed it to Tsuna's cheek. The teenager jumped in surprise – they were _freezing._ "You could say I'm a cold-blooded frog. I like to think my cold blood will someday let me take over the world and destroy the moronic superiority of monarchs in society. Especially princes."

Did he..._ever_ talk without monotone? Tsuna guessed not. Enma's eyelids were clenched shut, as if he was trying hard to focus. Fran spread the thin blanket around his body, but that didn't keep him from tossing and turning. Suddenly the redhead jolted up, and Fran pulled out a brown paper bag out of nowhere. He shoved it in front of the redhead's face, and Tsuna shut his eyes. That didn't mean he couldn't hear it, however, when Enma vomited.

"That's sick, man!" Ken's constant remarks didn't help.

To the left of him, Chrome's weight suddenly became nonexistent. Chocolate brown eyes peered through his fingers, and he saw both Fran and Chrome coaxing his best friend. They took turns rubbing his back, and Enma let out a mighty cough. He threw up yet again, and Tsuna took the liberty to sit next to him.

"Hmm, he's got red eyes, too. This could be severe."

"O-Oh, uh. N...No, that's the natural color of his eyes."

"Oh. Never mind, then."

Scarlet eyes peered back and forth in the subway, and Enma's small hand clutched the front of his t-shirt. He was panting, face pale, and entire body damp with its own humidity. A dribble of his own vomit slid down the crease of Enma's lips, and he recoiled to Tsuna.

Surprisingly enough, it was Ken who spoke up intelligently. "When's the last time he's eaten anything?"

"I...I dunno." Tsuna looked to Fran, terrified, but held onto Enma for the life of him. The redhead tensed for a second before realizing who had a hold of him. He slid forward, and the brunet took the liberty to move Enma's head on his lap. "He lost his voice, too."

"You don't lose your voice during strep. That's what you said he had, right?" Ken leaped off his seat like a wild man and took a good look at Enma.

"Mm. Ken-niisan, don't sniff the patient."

"Or lick him," Chikusa said in Fran's monotone, "for that matter."

If Ken noticed something, he didn't say anything. He and Fran exchanged looks (which looked more like Ken looked at Fran thoughtfully, and Fran nodded like a mechanical doll), and he walked back to Chikusa like a dog returning to its owner.

"You said that we would be going back to the hideout, right?" Tsuna decided it was best to change the subject. Fran and Chrome cocked their heads to him, and he felt his cheeks grow hot. "W...Where's the hideout?"

"Kokuyo Land." Fran placed a hand back on Enma's head. "The pharmacy may not give you penicillin, we'll have some. All types of medicines. And it beats sleeping on a bench."

"And...wh-what were you guys doing?" Tsuna felt his ears turn pink. "I mean, why were you guys all the way in Shimon?"

For the first time all night, the brunet watched Fran crack a small smile. He nudged his head to Ken, whose tail would have been wagging if he was a golden retriever, and then to Chrome, who seemingly fell asleep. Her head rest on Fran's shoulder, and Tsuna took interest in the bracelet wrapped around her wrist. Three charms: an owl, a trident, and a skull.

"For that stupid dog to get this girl some candy, of course. He wanted to satisfy the princess. Stupid Niisan."

"HEY, I HEARD THAT—!"

"Get some rest. Don't worry." Fran's expression suddenly contorted again, and he appeared serious as ever. "I would tell you if your pathetic friend were to die. It's 2:30 in the morning. Even a wimp like you needs some sleep."

"Oh, uh." He was tired, yes, but Enma's well-being meant the world to him. Tsuna shook his head. "I'm good."

Twenty minutes later, the subway made its stop. Enma seemed to have calmed down; reduced to soft shivers as he buried his face in Tsuna's hoodie. Ken and Chikusa stood up first, and Fran shook Chrome awake. Quickly, the redhead was taken out of his best friend's care and straddled Chikusa's back.

They were the only ones to get off at this stop.

Yet again, Chrome's fingers tangled through Tsuna's in reassurance. The subway passed by, whirling with excitement as it departed for its next destination. When it was finally out of sight, all four turned to the left. Chrome pulled him along, and they walked with Ken whistling in the background.

Tsuna grew nervous. Unintentionally, he squeezed Chrome's hand, and she looked his way in surprise, blushing slightly. "S-Sorry."

What he didn't expect was to suddenly stop in front of an orange sign.

**UNDER CONSTRUCTION. NO TRESPASSING. BEWARE GHOSTS AND BITCHY FROGS. **Next to the sign written in red marker, it read, **WATCH OUT FOR HUMPING HORMONAL GOLDEN RETRIEVERS. **

Ken kicked it aside. It appeared to be routine, because Chrome then pulled Tsuna in, followed by Chikusa and Ken. Fran stayed behind, gathered the sign, and put it back up. They walked further, and Tsuna could feel the anxiety building in the pit of his stomach. What was taking so long?

Finally, they made it. There was one last turn, and the group halted. The brunet's eyes wandered in amazement. Bricks and piles of wood lay against the wall, truthfully proving that the place _was _under construction. Before it was abandoned, apparently.

Then repopulated. A heap of blankets was in another corner, followed by a bonfire left untended. Curtains hung here and there, and a stream of old posters hung the walls about classic rock bands. An old, beat up radio was plugged into an outlet and rested tediously on what appeared to be a dinner table.

Fran disappeared into a corner decorated with Princess and the Frog curtains before returning with a basket full of what appeared to be medicine. Chikusa slid Enma onto a blanket near the bonfire.

"You can go over there," Chrome said quietly. "If you like."

Tsuna nodded carefully, still amazed by the appearance of the abandoned subway tunnel. She guided him to the center next to the bonfire, and— "Eek! What are you doing!"

"Stripping him butt naked." Ken arched his eyebrow. "What the fuck do you think I'm doing, byon?"

"He has bruises all over his face," Chikusa explained. "Right now your friend is as good as a corpse. It's better to treat his wounds, don't you think?"

He hadn't thought about it. Or rather, the thought occurred, but Tsuna was too relieved Enma was still alive to really care. As Ken unbuttoned Enma's clothes, Fran began peeling off the dirty Band-Aides on Enma's face and fingers. Tsuna couldn't remember the last time he saw his best friend without his bandages. He looked naked without them.

Enma went through a coughing fit again, and Tsuna waited while everyone else did their own thing. Chrome came back with what appeared to be crackers as Chikusa reached for a nearby wastebasket when Enma's face turned green. The redhead retched , and Tsuna grimaced. When he finished, Chrome moved a pillow under the sick teenager's head, and went on as if it was nothing.

"What's the color of the puke?" asked Fran.

Ken looked in the wastebasket before crinkling his nose and shivering. "Green."

They continued casually, and Ken began whistling whatever was on the radio. Enma was reduced to his boxers, shivering, but Tsuna's concern sprouted further than just the redhead's temperature. Small bruises were scattered here and there on Enma's legs, but he wasn't the most coordinated person in the world. A large bruise dominated most of Enma's stomach, and his biceps appeared cut. With the bandages off Enma's face, Tsuna saw quickly that Enma's nose looked like it had been smashed in. His fingernails looked torn, as if he was in a fight – _and was fighting back._

Enma flinched as the alcohol was applied to his cuts, but said nothing. He was still at least half-awake.

Tsuna looked to Fran, who continued what he was doing without falter. "How...how do you know what to do?"

Fran finally paused, then continued. He wiped the grime off Enma's face, halted at sticky, dirty adhesive, and applied new bandages. "I have a degree in medicine."

Wh...What...? "Aren't you, like, a middle schooler?"

"Something like that."

"W...Well then..." Tsuna looked back to them again, fixated with how clean Enma's face now appeared. "How do you have the funds for all of this? I...I mean... all of that medicine is expensive, isn't it?"

For the second time that night, the brunet watched Chrome smile. Ken held his head with pride, and ran a washcloth down Enma's chest. "Mukuro pays for all of the medicine. We get in a shitload of trouble, eh, kakipi?"

"Yes."

"He's been out with Byakuran lately. His _college lover_, byon. Feh, who cares about shit like that?" Ken harrumphed, leaning over Enma like an ape before handing Fran an ointment. He reached for a bottle labeled _Penicillin _and set it aside. "I would rather stay with _Stupid_ over there than be in love!"

A ghost of a smile spread across Chikusa's face. "Is there a difference?"

"What the fuck!"

As they began arguing again, Chrome scooted closer to Tsuna. They watched tirelessly as Fran wrapped Enma in new clothes. When they stopped their work, the color was slowly returning back to Enma's face.

"What do we do now?" Tsuna asked. It was four in the morning, and he was exhausted. No one else seemed tired.

"Now," Fran said simply, "we wait."

"I'll show you where you'll be sleeping, Tsuna-san." Chrome stood to her feet, lips curtsied into a small smile, and helped Tsuna up. The brunet's head felt heavy. He staggered, falling into the younger teenager a little before mumbling a sorry. He couldn't remember the last time he stayed up so late, tired, and barely able to think.

As they walked only a few feet away, she stopped them and tilted her head in curiosity. Chrome pressed a hand to his head, and waited. As she found nothing wrong, they continued behind a curtain where more blankets could be seen in the corner. A small space had been made out, enough to fit a person . Chrome must have made this while Fran was tending to Enma.

"Enma will have to stay by the fire." Her voice was quiet. "I'm sorry we don't have a heater – Ken spilled ramen over it last week."

"I-It's fine," Tsuna mumbled. He plopped onto the blanket, and shed whatever clothes he didn't need to sleep. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you put up with it?" Tsuna blinked – once, twice – and felt if he blinked a third, he would be fast asleep. "Ken-san calls you a stupid girl, Fran-san makes sarcastic comments, and Chikusa-san just...stands there. You're really nice."

Through weary eyes, he saw her pale face flush in surprise. Her eyebrows knit together, contemplating, before a broad smile came to her face.

"Because," she said, "they're my family."

Tsuna fell asleep that morning, intuiting that he would have to keep her reasoning to heart.

OoOoO

Two days had passed by. Well, technically one. Enma was still bedridden, and even when coherent wasn't allowed to move under Fran's orders. After Tsuna had woken up that Sunday, he found Ken and Chikusa left to go buy food, leaving Fran to a laptop for World of Warcraft under the alias: The Froginator Who is Holier Than Prince Ushishi (Tsuna assumed that "Prince Ushishi" was someone else on WoW, but didn't bother to ask) and Chrome in her own corner, satisfied with reading a book.

They ate when Ken and Chikusa came back, and Tsuna contemplated on calling Giotto to finally know where he was – before deciding not to. His missed calls had piled up to three hundred and forty-seven, and he was in deep trouble, anyway. Tsuna offered to buy them food in gratitude, and they declined. The entire day was spent like a Sunday at home: watching cartoons and just hanging out.

Not one person was bothered by the fact they were underground doing nothing. Sunday at home apparently was Sunday at_ home_.

"Kufufu~ Fran-chan, is there a reason why this kid is in my room?"

"What. Oh, pineapple Master, we thought you were gone." There was a rip heard ,and a bang. "Ow, Master, that hurt. Why would you do that, that it really hurt."

Chocolate brown orbs fluttered open. They—

"Hello there."

"EEK!"

— didn't expect to see two bright orbs staring back at him, amused, but foreign. Instinctively, Tsuna recoiled back until he hit the wall with the back of his head. He was dizzy. Where was Enma? Ken? Chikusa? _Anyone_?

"Feisty little one, aren't you? Kufufu, I like you. Byakuran!~ We just had a child!~"

Wh-What? Tsuna took a better look at the man Fran had called "Master." The way he dressed and how his hair was cut reminded Tsuna of Chrome, but he lacked her kindness. Wait. Byakuran. Ken mentioned that name when they first met – if Byakuran-san was outside, that made this guy...

"I-Is your name Mukuro?"

The taller teenager looked back to him, enthused, and arched an eyebrow. "That would be my name. And you are?"

"Ts-Tsuna S-Sawada." Tsuna found himself at a loss, scared. Unlike Ken, Chikusa, Fran, and Chrome, there was something about Mukuro that he didn't like. The taller was intimidating; almighty, even, and looked like he could kill a guy.

"Tsunayoshi Sawada, eh? Kufufu, such a cute name for a cute little girl." _Boy._ Mukuro flashed a haughty grin, and the last way Tsuna expected to spend his Monday was to be swept off his feet, and carried like he was something as petty as a surfboard.

"L-Let me go, please!" Tsuna squeaked, eyes widening three times their size as he tried to escape, but failed. Mukuro had a tight hold on him, and the white-haired man sitting on the couch (Tsuna assumed this was Byakuran) stood up. He clasped his hands together, mathing grin to Tsuna's captor, and pinched the poor brunet's cheeks.

"My, my. What a cute son we had together. Isn't he a little bit on the short side?"

"Kufufu. Don't you remember, my sweet? We birthed a daughter. Sawada here is our daughter."

"Ah, that makes sense~"

Tsuna looked over to the quartet sitting at the table playing cards. Enma was fast asleep, mouth opened slightly. The bandages on his face had been changed yet again, and the color on his face was solid. He was getting a lot better. Chrome looked up, pitying, but like the rest of her comrades simply smiled at Tsuna's horrid situation.

"Shall we do some father-daughter bonding, love? Kufufufufu."

"I do believe so, my sweet."

What happened next was a blur. Tsuna felt like a little doll constantly being dressed and undressed as they took him to the mall in a neighboring city to Shimon. They put bows in his hair, carried him around like he was a little kid, kissed random spots on his body like he had "booboos" and managed to buy him a dress with his consent. Tsuna would have run away a long time ago, had it not been for the fact he had _no idea_ where the hideout was. They practically blindfolded him to get out of the subway, anyway!

When the clock hit one in the afternoon, Byakuran had to leave. He apparently had classes, and Tsuna endured the sickening image of Mukuro and his boyfriend making out for a good three minutes. He waited, head turned, and stared at stuffed animals while they finished. He was debating whether or not he should buy a get well soon present for Enma, when—

"Nn...ah..._yes_,_ there_..._" _

—Ew. Ew, ew, ew, ewewewewew – Mukuro's hand was firmly down Byakuran's pants – _in public – _and his lips were nibbling on Byakuran's collar bone. In public. _In public_!

"Kufufufu, looks like her eyes are no longer virgin." Where had he heard _that_ before?

Tsuna squirmed, hand clasped against his eyes.

"Bye, my sweet. Bye," Byakuran kissed his hair, and the brunet had never felt so defiled in his life, "My daughter~"

With a sickening lovey-dovey sigh, the white-haired college student left them alone and departed through the crowd. They were now sitting at a cafe only a block away from his old school, where Mukuro ordered them sushi. As Tsuna took a bite of the sushi, relief washed through him, just as guilt did as well. He nibbled the sushi, and the sticky rice scattered in his mouth. It was delicious.

But it wasn't Yamamoto Sushi. Remembering the taste of his best friend's food, Tsuna's heart sunk and he curled a fist into his jeans.

"You look very familiar."

"Huh?" As Tsuna looked up, his eyes locked back onto Mukuro. His expression was no different than the lightness he carried since that morning, but his eyes told a different story.

Mukuro smiled cheerfully. "Kufufufu. So I heard from the little ones that they found you on the street. You certainly don't look like a street rat though, Tsunayoshi."

"I...uh...I-I live with my brother." The brunet's cheeks turned pink and he looked to his chopsticks. "Th...thank you, by the way. I-I heard that you were the one who bought all of those medications. I-If they weren't there..."

"It's my godfather's money." Mukuro sighed dramatically and rested his head on his hand. "He complains when I don't use it. Why not spend it on the little ones?"

Oh. "S...so, you're not mad at me? For intruding, I mean?"

"Stay as long as you would like, Tsunayoshi. It's my godfather's money – I couldn't care less. Especially with a cute daughter like you~"

Tsuna suddenly felt uncomfortable. He shifted in his chair and looked down. "O-Oh."

"Honestly I wanted to see if you would run away if Byakuran and I had a little fun with you. Kufufufu." Mukuro gained a distant look in his eyes. He sighed dreamily, hands tangled in his hair. "If you were anything like him."

Like him? "I...I don't think I'm anything like Byakuran-san..."

"Kufufufu~"

Tsuna offered a wary smile before pulling out of his seat. Mukuro seemed nice enough, but appeared to be hiding something. _Like everyone else in the world, really._ He picked up his plate with the intention of going inside and discarding the rest. Sushi only made him think of Yamamoto. As Tsuna went inside, he cursed when a chopstick fell from his plate.

Someone already picked it up before he managed to bend over. "Whoopsie daisies. You dropped this."

"O-Oh...uh. Thank you." Looking up, Tsuna found himself taking in the sight of this man. He was tall and lean, with a long face. A coat and a hat adorned his body, along with a pair of glasses that hid his eyes. Something about his expression caught Tsuna off guard, but with a pair of glasses _and_ a hat blocking off what he really looked like, Tsuna simply had to guess.

"Ooh, I go by many names, but you may call me Julie Katou!~"

"Er, my name is—" It took a moment for Tsuna to process what was happening, but as he came to, he realized that the man, Julie was kissing him. W-WAIT. HUH? Most kids his age should have been in school – _not_ kissing! Wh-What!

As quick as it happened, Julie disappeared from his sight with an odd laugh, and Tsuna was left by himself. Again.

He was just kissed. By another man. HE WAS JUST KISSED BY A _**MAN**_ WHO WASN'T EVEN HIS AGE!

"Hie—" Tsuna kept the sound down. His body trembled, mind racing back and forth between thoughts, and he tried to collect himself as he threw the trash away. He was kissed by a complete stranger.

H-His...f-first k-k-kiss. And—

"Hey, guess what."

—the last thing Tsuna expected to see was a blur of blond hair. A large pair of arms wrapped around his body, and the look on Giotto's face...he'd never seen his brother so angry.

"You, my _little brother_, are dead meat."

**Author's Note: **

So, I hope this chapter cleared up some things – and opened a lot of new mysteries, as well. You get to see a lot of Tsuna, which should make up for no Tsuna for the last two chapters. C': And...well, when I said you won't be seeing Enma till Christmas...this actually isn't what I meant. xD Christmas may be like two weeks away, but I didn't mean it in this circumstance. HOWEVER, no one's complaining, I hope. Except for the lack of Giotto.

Now I'mma answer some FAQ, and write something that I feel I've told just about everyone so far.

**Will Mukuro and Hibari be in this story? **

Apparently yes. But the thing is, it was really odd writing about Mukuro. I'm going to be completely honest, and I know that you guys are going to _cut_ me for this, but...truthfully, Mukuro never interested me as a character. Sure, he's cool, but the thing is, I like _Ryohei_ more than I like Mukuro. It's not that I _don't_ like Mukuro, but...I mean, he doesn't stick out to me as much as the rest of the characters do. xD; I'm sorry if that's offensive, but don't review me saying I bashed him. I didn't. To each his own. Mukuro was added as a "sure, why not?" character. As for Hibari... For the most part, I've tried to make sure I mention him with _Namimori Middle._ He's a good character, but...that leads to the next comment.

**I can totally see this happening in the manga!/This is a RL version of the manga! **

Originally it didn't turn out that way. In fact, I still don't see it that way, but everyone has their own interpretation of the story. Hibari isn't really a dynamic character (along with the others that haven't appeared yet, really) because they're all plot devices for one thing or another. Asari Ugetsu is a plot device for 8059, for example. Which leads to the _next_ one. :'D

**I can't tell who's seme/uke anymore! XD **

I've actually got comments saying that uke!Yamamoto wouldn't bother them, which makes me laugh. I've seen him as seme this entire time, but the thing is...I don't believe in the seme uke system. I'll knock out two birds with one stone: I don't _like_ the seme/uke system. I believe yes, that there is a top and a bottom, but I've never deliberately said between Giotto and Alaude who the top or the bottom was in the relationship. I may sound a little hypocritical if I say I prefer Yamamoto topping Gokudera, but eh, it's a recent discovery. Sue me. xD Which...leads to this one.

**I love your Tsuna! He's so in character! **

I suppose to you guys, he is, but he's still a little strange. I kinda put a lot of his charming qualities into this chapter since he can be such a spaz. xD I. Hate. Crying. Ukes. Do you wanna know why I hate the seme/uke system? Because the seme is always a perverted loaf who wants to get in the uke's pants, and the uke is always this gentle little thing with big eyes. WHICH IS ANOTHER THING. A guy can be **gay, straight, or bi, **but I hate stories and original manga where the guy is supposed to be in love with another guy but is attracted to women. It _always _happens. There's a label for it – choose from three. The only manga which I've read that's pulled it off with me actually _liking_ it is Koisuru Boukun.

Anyway, just my two cents. My reviewers are saying they're running out of things to "praise" me about. xD So, ask me some questions, or make some comments, and the ones I get most frequently, I'll comment on at the bottom. Ex: How do you start your chapters; how do you do your characterization; what is your view of this couple, etc.

(Lol I'm so blunt I always feel guilty and like I'm scaring all of my reviewers away. xD;)


	17. hospitals and rings

**The RPers HELL group. **Rightt. You reviewed fast.** Lireach **A lot of people have been commenting on that; When I said he got on four or five buses, I guess I wrote that in a way that I disliked. The thing about it is, I just don't like the seme/uke system. _Equal partnership._ There are fans who deliberately love a story just for the sex (and I have my moments where I just wanna read smut, too), but when there's a 'seme' and an 'uke', etc, etc, it's like the yaoi version of being pig-headed. I'm not saying it's bad, but...okay, yeah. I'm saying it's bad. You see me go back and forth; never legitimately saying who tops and who bottoms when it comes to Alaude and Giotto for that reason. xD I've just gotten tired of it. _And_ uke Tsuna. There's actually an icon on LJ of a drunk TYL!Gokudera chibi going, "I shall top tonight!" It's cute; I wonder if I have it saved, rofl. **Manquez Sardonique **Haha. I do indeed like 10069, actually. It, along with Reborn x Colonnello/Colonnello x Reborn are my seme x seme fetishes. **LivingGlow **I really thought that chapter was a lot easier to follow; but obviously I was wrong. Ah well. I've got a reason as to why the last few chapters are so awkward; I suppose I'll explain them at the bottom. **DarkRoadHina **Haha, thanks. I wasn't sure what Giotto's ending line was gonna be. **copycat-capycot **My favorite? I'll be truthful; a friend recommended Reborn to me, but it didn't interest me at first. The second I saw Colonnello, my heart swooned. xD Now I like it a lot, obviously. Rofl. Have you read the latest chapter? And...I've actually got two plans at the moment. A Giotto x Cozart, and a G x Cozart. I'll probably run 'em by you or my other friend before I ever think about writing them. DON'T STOP BELIEVIN! **kyonechan13 ** Actually as a writer, I dislike cliffhangers. They're fun to write...then they get annoying. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M. **Due to copyright laws, I can't give you a Band-Aid. ;A; How about I give you a Zeph-Band? :D Still listening to Raise Your Glass. But as I reply to your review, I'm listening to Battles by the Spill Canvas. C: **famiglia **Did you not see me post it in the last chapter? Haha, thanks sweetheart. **Hexshell **I generally try to update once a week, actually. xD **ezcap1st **Haha. I'd spoil you if I told you, so I'll just say...APPLES. :D **FaerieDemon **I was wondering where you were. xD Nah, I don't expect people to agree with me when it comes to Mukuro. He's one of the more likable characters, but...eh. He's not dynamic enough for me. So you're saying Daemon Spade, who is probably 29/30 at his oldest, is gross kissing Tsuna, but Giotto, who is is brother and 25, is right? xDD Oh, heart. r**eader713 **HAH. You wish. :D **sender unknown **I was tempted to write some Chikusa x Ken moments, but it didn't seem necessary. Too much fanservice and unnecessary moments can be...TMI, I guess? Aha. **Suzuro Seiyo **Haha, it's fine. What's your first language? C: **xRynnX **Fran is actually one of my favorite characters. xD Somehow with every chapter everyone finds something amazing. Celeste the Hitler, husband-and-husband-and-daughter Byakuran Mukuro and Tsuna. It's so...weird. Haha. **FalseMoon **In truth, he wasn't really... _violated._ Just handled out of how he normally is. :D You know what I incorporate with HDW!Tsuna? When he's in smut, I can just imagine him dirty talking. xD **Metamorcy **Oh God, I guess I said that in the wrong light. xD The truth is, I jump from fandom to fandom. Earlier this year, I was back into Yu Gi Oh. Right now, I'm in Harry/Draco. Because of how many 1827/6927 stories and lack of completed ones, I don't bother going through the KHR fandom very much. My favorite story, with no doubt, is a Bel x Fran story: His Royal Highness Owns a Frog. Favorite KHR story that probably got me going _into_ KHR writing. I'm sure that there are a lot of good stories out there, but it's very rare that I read a story that is either under 100K or not completed. I suppose it's not only that, but I can't stand a story that doesn't incorporate the ideas of the plot. A lot of the times, say, if I'm looking up a pokemon story or a digimon story, the pokemon and digimon are excluded. The same happens with KHR, and there are a lot of dynamic characters in it. Because of their dynamics...say, Ryohei, for example, he gets so much crap for it. I just stay away from reading in general, honestly. xD **UniversalOverlordess **Fran is one of my favorite characters; haha. He and Bel are my other loves. Actually – they would be my OTP, most likely. xD I tried to keep his sarcasm as well as possible. c**heerful-pinkstar **Haha, thanks so much. :) **TsukikoIchihara **You'll have to wait and see!~** 373 **In truth, THIS chapter was written/finished the day afterward. xD I was bored. **Fire Princess21 **Haha, thanks. **CH0COCANDYZ **Haha. Some part of me thinks that the creator has run out of design ideas; but you never know. **Ophianara Blade **Oh god. I know what you mean. And...most likely, if you think how the rest of the story is going. xD **Yumiko-Emiko **Thank you for saying that. :) It makes me happy. xD **-angels cry018- **You'll just have to wait and see. :) **Seriyuu **I'm not sure, honestly. Fran and the rest of them won't be showing up much for the next few chapters. xD **XXxKHRObsessionxXX ** haha, thanks. :) **Yura-chan **I really thought this chapter was one of the easiest chapters to follow, but to each his own. Ah well. **Soulfightersu **yaay! I made him gory enough! :D **Breathless02 **Eh, I couldn't get his characterization right. xD I knew I wouldn't be able to; I knew I wouldn't whatsoever. It's odd, because I've had much luck with characters that I _hate to death_, yet with him...I'm indifferent with him. And writing him made me want to fall asleep, actually. xD **An anonymous fangirl **I guess. xD Whoopsies. Typo. C: **Sky Vongola princess **aha. **pamellka **Aww, that's a pretty image. C':

Later that night, G was caught by a fantastic scent. He looked around before finding Giotto eating alone on his balcony. "What are you eating?"

Through bits and bites, Giotto looked up, eyebrow arched. "Dead meat. Would you like some?"

"Sure." G smiled. "By the way, where's Tsuna?"

That kind of prompt. :D Any, really. xD **Mirriox **I actually really hate throwing cliffhangers as both a writer and a reader. As a writer, when you have too many, they just get irritating. xD But it's the best way to conclude a chapter when you know that it's touched everything you want the readers to know in that particular chapter. **kittytheangel **ROFL THAT KISS. So many people have had their own interpretations about it; along with other things. It cracks me up. I gotta start watching what I say. xD **Kanberry **Of course they are. xDI dunno. I think I give up in making people understand what I write anymore. **Rainbowbubble **orly? I like the couple, but I don't like how Mukuro is portrayed since he's made the uke. And they make him stereotypically uke-ish in a lot of doujin and a story I read where it was a side pairing. C': Bel x Fran is my love. a**bg31 **Mm, of course my favorite review. Honey, you aren't the first person to tell me that the pace is slow. xD I suppose as an author, it just makes more sense to me and I can't expect the reader to pick up everything I intend. So I guess I'll explain some of my methods to you – I actually do like repeating the situations; I do it a lot when it comes to first POV. But it also gets rather annoying. The thing about my writing that I guess a lot of people either like or dislike is that I try to strip away what you usually find in a fanfic. Italics for the flashbacks and thoughts; bolding, etc etc. Just kinda blending it until it's like...decorative icing on a cake. xD You're the only person who's actually commented on his job. But does he really need the job to be explained? The two chapters that it was brought up, his thoughts weren't brought up. Purposefully I just didn't bother with it; indirectly implying that Tsuna doesn't care for his job. He brought up the paycheck toward the beginning of the chapter, and that's it. Five different trains, eh? That's my way of saying: if people are gonna interpret it as the RL version of KHR, then I'm gonna keep the humor. xD Eh, I still don't like Mukuro. Doesn't mean no one else can. Someone's gotta love him. xD **L.L **Haha. **Roxy-kins **Oh heck yes. **Gin Nanashi **Ciao hi? :D **kikyokyoyahibari **Huh. Haven't gotten a review from you in a while at all; you were on my mind while I was replying to reviews last time, actually. **Sokua. **Eh. I still don't like it. xD **Mel-Chama **Aw, that's sweet. I'm just making sure Enma and Tsuna are interpreted with the same meekness – but different personalities. Totally. **xXxLolitaRosexXx **Haha. Irony. **R a a i n **mm. C': **InfinityOnTheRun **I like 'em together... xD **leannie-cious **I hate incest. I hate stereotypical yaoi, and the uke/seme system will make me call it quits one of these days. Thanks for reading though. Mukuro's heterochromia was overlooked because...well, I just couldn't find an exact way to describe it in the text; it crossed my mind, but just never happened, I guess you could say. **ToniChanLovesCookies **Right. Sadist. Yeah. xD **YukataKitsune **It was actually pretty random. Without the mafia involved, their zest for world domination had to be substituted for their wicked personality in a rather interesting way. xD Mm. That dress will follow him home. **routasu **And...somehow...they're my favorite part, rofl. Actually, I really do just love that image. The way you shaded their hair is fantastic, and gives such substance and layers to it. I'm really glad that out of anyone, and for firsts, you got that for me. xD I can't be picky as a writer; but you captured it well. (Now, let's count how many times I've babbled about your drawing since you've shown it to me, lmao) as for G.00; I don't really mind. xD Actually, you and one other person crack me up since you don't see it, but I don't blame you. In my opinion after they met, my note went "Oh, btw, they're gonna end up in bed together" and they haven't really developed. At _all. _So the fact people spaz about it surprises me since I haven't developed them. Tsuna is...Tsuna. No matter what incarnation, he tends to find trouble where he isn't looking. xD GPS? DOES THAT STAND FOR GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM, OR GIOTTO'S POSITIONING SYSTEM? **derorrim **Hehe, you and me both. **Chromex3 **Aha. Maybe. **NotYourBitch **Oh dear, I'm surprised you weren't confused then. Well, you probably were, but eh. xD NOW YOU KNOW. **Rathka95 **I hate writing cliffhangers, actually. :D Even if I have a good one. xD **KonataIzumi1 **Let's pretend that I laughed and gave you a long review, but it just looks short, because you're just being honest and nice and WOO CUPCAKES. :D **misunderstoodbyoneself **The thing about Mukuro is, he's a smooth and suave character, but I just...don't like him, I guess. He's just there. xD Everyone has a distinction to their character – Yamamoto's obnoxious laugh, Gokudera's commitment to the Tenth, Ryohei shouting, TO THE EXTREME. I like Hibari more than Mukuro when he's with Chrome. However, Mukuro's character...I dunno. It's too common for me.

**chapter seventeen has **hospitals and rings.

"What were you thinking?"

"I...I was thinking..."

"Do you know how old you are? Sixteen, Tsuna. _Sixteen!_" _Seventeen. _Giotto still hadn't been clued in about his birthday over a week ago. None of the adults – not even G-san. There they stood, Giotto's eyes flaring like a wildfire and a vein throbbing at his forehead. Shimon was small compared to Giotto in his pin-striped vest and trousers, and he stuck out like a sore thumb. "You have the common sense to call me – and if not _me_ – " Tsuna tried to ignore it, but he couldn't. His brother's voice cracked, obviously hurt, but he carried on. "—you could have at least answered to G."

He'd never seen his brother vulnerable. Giotto's eyes never flickered that intensity of worry before, and it was a week after that they were at the mall shopping for clothes and apartment-hunting.

"Why did it take you so long to find me?" Was that Tsuna's voice? He wasn't sure. The world around him spun, head aching as it tried to grab hold of reality. Giotto wasn't helping.

For a moment, Giotto's eyes softened, and he ran a hand through his hair. He pulled Tsuna down on a table, fingers intertwined with the brunet's. "It doesn't take a genius to figure out the only place you would run is Shimon."

Where else would he run?

"You're too loyal to run anywhere else, and I see the way you look at the little munchkin." Giotto's eyes flickered, and the tension was still visible in his voice. "Train station's closed on Sundays. Why do you think I called you so many times yesterday?"

"I...I..."

"We were worried sick. _I _was worried sick." Giotto's voice sounded conflicting, as if he was trying hard _not_ to yell at the poor teenager. Guilt bubbled in Tsuna's stomach, and the last thing he expected to see was Giotto shaking. The blond's cheeks tweaked with red,and he brought a trembling hand to his face. "D-Do you know how _terrifying_ that was?"

Giotto never stuttered.

"How do you think I felt while in the mindset that...every day, I _trust_ my little brother, go to work, and automatically _know_ Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun are taking care of you?" Giotto's voice wavered ,and Tsuna curled his hands together. He'd been trying to avoid this. "Do you know what the worst feeling in the world was? _Not knowing you had gone missing._ I-I find out you left the house from a secondary source, and – not only to _leave the house_ – but to come all the way here."

"I...I know—"

"_Tsuna._" He didn't understand how much stress Giotto had been going through until now. He knew that his brother was sick and had been bedridden, but _so was_ _Enma_. "If you wanted to go see him, all you had to do was ask."

It made Tsuna feel like scum.

"I can't...I'm your brother, and your _guardian._ You could have gotten hurt, and I wouldn't have known. I gave you that phone for a reason and...I can't..." Giotto's voice cracked again. Sure, Tsuna expected a brother's rage for sneaking out of the house and going _miles _away to visit his best friend, but this wasn't rage. Giotto was scared. He was still collecting his thoughts, and Tsuna wondered how far his brother's fear delved. "Tsuna. _I can't trust you._"

A knife stabbed Tsuna's heart, and it oozed with guilt. A slap in the face – a punch in the stomach. Not one person ever told him that...and now he was hearing it from his brother. He could have cried, but Tsuna was convinced he'd done enough of that already in the past week.

"Yeah," he simply said himself. His voice didn't feel like his own. "I know."

"You're grounded," Giotto whispered. "You won't be seeing Enma for a very long time."

"But that's not—!" _Fair._ His brother had hit a home run with this punishment. It wasn't fair? It wasn't fair that he was _stuck_ in Namimori, _stuck_ with Giotto? He would never say that. Th-That wasn't true, a-and it wasn't fair for Giotto to be worried sick or that Tsuna refused his phone calls. He knew that. "Okay."

"We'll talk about this more when we get home."

Tsuna nodded, and they stood up from the table. G was outside, leaning against the cafe wall in solitude and smoking as they came back. From the corner of his eye, he could see Mukuro cast a delighted look in his situation, and he immediately turned around.

G pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and Tsuna saw that he, too, looked like he hadn't gotten much sleep. The bags under his eyes were unbearable, and the somber look told the brunet he wouldn't be getting the easy way out. The pair of adults exchanged looks and started speaking in what Tsuna assumed to be Italian.

Finally G looked his way. The redhead was just a simple reminder that although Giotto could see _his _best friend on a daily basis, Tsuna couldn't. The teenager forced his rage down. Not now.

He didn't expect for G to smile, even if he did play good cop to Giotto's bad cop when they first got to know each other. G pressed a hand to top of Tsuna's head and ruffle his hair. "Hey, kid."

"H...Hi." Was it permissible for him to speak?

"Crazy thing you did. Running away and all."

Tsuna swallowed his nervousness and closed his eyes. G's hand ran down his face before reappearing on his shoulder. "I-I...Enma is s-sick. A-After the party, I-I hadn't heard from h-him, and I had to make sure he was o-okay."

When he opened his eyes again, Giotto was staring at him, fiery orbs diminished into surprise. "You left that part out."

The brunet shrugged. He didn't think that they cared about his friend. "His foster parents kicked him out of the house – I don't now when, he doesn't have his voice, either. A-And he's been sleeping outside. It gets cold in Shimon pretty early..."

He found himself rambling before he could catch himself. G continued. "Well then, where is he?"

"The...Hideout." It would only occur to Tsuna later that Giotto and G didn't exactly know what "the Hideout" was.

"I don't see any harm in visiting him if he's sick." G tried to keep his voice light, but both he and Giotto carried the same look of worry. Tsuna blinked. Had they always been worried for Enma's well-being? "Right?"

Giotto muttered something under his breath, but Tsuna couldn't hear him. Instead the blond nodded, eyebrows knitted together with worry. "Let's go."

"A...Alright." Tsuna took a deep breath, goosebumps prickling the skin on his arms as he trudged back to Mukuro. Giotto and G followed close behind. They stopped just as Mukuro got up, and Giotto squeezed his shoulder. "Mukuro—"

"Come to pick up your brother?"

"And his friend."

"Kufufufu~"

Right off the bat, Giotto had been the one to speak. Tsuna looked up as Giotto revealed another face; another demeanor he'd never seen before. Tense and wary, and very knowing. Suddenly the adult's expression slackened, and he offered a hand. "Mukuro."

"Ie—"

"_Giotto._"

"Giotto, then." A delicately eerie smile spread across Mukuro's lips, and he looked between the trio almost mockingly. He shook the blond's hand, reminded that he was still younger in comparison to the adults. "G, too."

"Can you take us back to the hideout?" Tsuna felt his cheeks turn pink. His voice to the rest was measly, and he knew that it showed through his meekness. "I-If that's okay, I mean?"

"We'll be checking Enma-kun into a different care." What? Tsuna looked up to Giotto, who was guarded as ever. The grip on the brunet's shoulder hadn't relaxed, and it deliberately showed.

"Kufufu~ Very well then. But I can assure you, Giotto, that Tsunayoshi's little boy toy is doing well under Fran-chan's care."

Mukuro trekked in a different direction and G and Giotto followed Tsuna close behind.

On the way Tsuna caught the looks G and Giotto exchanged. They were tense, and Tsuna reexamined them for the umpteenth time that afternoon. G was unkempt and unruly. His tie hung by a simple limb, and the shirt he wore went untucked. Red hair stuck out in odds and ends almost like Giotto's hair, and the wariness in his eyes sought sleep.

Giotto was no better, he shivered. Maybe he wasn't over his sickness. At first glance, most people would see the nice pin-striped vest and the natural charming zest that accentuated Giotto's persona, but Tsuna knew better. He lived long enough with his brother to know this wasn't how the blond acted. Giotto leaned over his seat on the subway, hands held out, and they were trembling.

His gaze remained downcast, seeing nothing in the world around him, and random cowlicks adorned his natural hair. Tsuna knew Giotto. His brother, _his_ Giotto held a gaze like broad fire. Italian blood accented his speech, and a grin that often curtsied his lips would fall into place to warm the heart. His charm, his prowess, and his wit lit the entire sky; lingering in the afterglow of absolute radiance.

G leaned forward, gaze pulled away. His callused fingers grabbed hold of Giotto's, appearing almost accidental, but wasn't. He squeezed his best friend's hand in reassurance – _everything's going to be okay. _Giotto peered up, as if for the first time touching the world. The grasp lingered, tender and sweet until Giotto's hand quivered, and minutes later he pulled away, entire body shifted in a different direction.

The redhead in return's lip tightened with grimness and said nothing. His action went noticed, but not acknowledged.

When the train stopped twenty minutes later, Mukuro was first to stand up, followed by Tsuna. The adults trailed behind, lost in their own little world with G murmuring to Giotto on occasion. Tsuna noticed that they kept at least a foot of distance between one other.

Where was the charm? Why didn't Giotto playfully tease G like he normally did, and why was G's hand digging for a his lighter every thirty seconds? The closer G got to Giotto in comfort, the further his brother distanced himself. Giotto didn't want to be touched.

Did..._his_ disappearance cause this?

Before Tsuna had the chance to ask, he ran straight into Mukuro's back. A groan escaped his lips. They were finally there. G snorted and Giotto snapped out of his own thoughts yet again.

Mukuro cracked a grin. "Does my cute little daughter miss her daddy?"

Giotto scowled. "Watch it."

"Alright, alright." It didn't stop the taller teenager from laughing, however. Mukuro pulled his hand from Tsuna's hair, but it was oddly saddening. Mukuro's teasing...almost sorta kinda made him somewhat inklet-ly think of Giotto's own mischievous streak.

As they arrived at the hideout, Tsuna joked that he normally associated the place with the old radio playing in the background, a husky scent of cupcakes and crackling firewood, and the enthusiastic sounds of Fran, Ken, Chikusa, and Chrome.

The radio had been drowned out by screaming.

Tsuna could say having to watch Byakuran-san and Mukuro make out was the worst thing that happened today. He could say having disappointed Giotto scorn him, torn up, and even say the fact his brother couldn't trust him anymore topped that. He would be wrong on both.

"Enma!"

The worst thing to happen ever, up to par, was watch Enma fight against four people who were pinning him down as his coughs echoed through the abandoned tunnel. Enma looked frail and blue; different from when Tsuna left him earlier that morning.

Giotto and G rushed into action. Tsuna followed in suit, but was blocked by the others.

"He isn't looking good." Fran raised his voice, but not a hair on his head was out of place.

Enma wrestled the grip of even Ken and Chikusa, who were much stronger than Chrome and Fran. He fought to sit up, beads of sweat rushing down his face and dampening his skin. The sound of his shallow breathing was like two strips of rusted metal rubbing against each other, or nails on a chalkboard specifically designed to drill at the ear and whine in pain. Enma shook violently, fat tears leaking down his face to join the rest of his chaos, and a stream of wet green was at his lip.

He lunged forward, taking everyone by surprise, and lurched.

G was closest to see what he'd retched, eyes doubling in size. He turned to Tsuna and the rest of the kids while Giotto tried to keep the poor teenager down. "Someone get a doctor! Get a medic – call an ambulance! This kid's coughing up blood!"

OoOoO

Three hours and five minutes had passed by while they sat in the hospital and patiently waited for results. Five minutes to get there, and three hours of waiting. Well, maybe more than five minutes. Giotto tended to exaggerate.

It happened in a flash, and the blond wasn't quite sure he'd processed all of it. After finding Tsuna, he never expected to end up in a hospital, joined by his best friend and waiting to hear results. The medical assistants had stolen Enma away when G stormed into the hospital with a kid on his back looking about ready to die.

Giotto and Tsuna fluttered after him, only a second apart from G's entrance. Now they sat in the waiting room, catching their breaths as the hospital nurses returned to their regular routine. All they could do was wait.

Tsuna had grown numb. He collapsed on the nearest chair, eyes wider than the rest of his face, and complexion worse than G's. Not once did he blink, and Giotto couldn't find it in him to yell at the poor kid. Not now. Maybe not ever again.

"This isn't what I meant," Giotto murmured hoarsely, "when I said we'd be checking him into different care."

G buried a hand in his hair. "Better here than leaving him there."

"You would think after all that's happened, after how much crap I put _you_ through, and with Tsuna's good intentions..." Giotto pressed a hand to his eyes. "He's the one who gets punished."

Tsuna was gifted with the power of peace. He may never realize it, and...Giotto wanted to be mad at him – ever since Tsuna came into his life, Giotto wanted to be _very_ mad at him. But he couldn't. There he was; a teenaged boy who should have been proud, hotheaded and stubborn. A bucket of angst.

Not a chance. Instead of getting a bucket of the typical bitchy teenager (just like he had been), the hotblooded half-Italian came face-to-face with a gentle kitten that put pleasing everyone else before pleasing himself.

He moved in with Giotto when they both knew they were on bad terms so Nana could be happy. He tolerated Giotto's bad attitude because they were initially stuck with each other for the next seven and a half months. He...ran away to take care of a sick friend.

What could you do with that? Giotto was mad, furious, and scared that his brother had run away. And if Tsuna ran away once, he could...do it again. Giotto couldn't deal with it. He'd locked himself in his room, scared of the world around him, and was almost scared of standing under sunlight again. Daemon_...Daemon scared him shitless. _

Giotto wasn't a parent.

When he was deemed Tsuna's guardian, he wasn't prepared to take on the role of a parent. He was a brother. A shitty brother, at that. A parent would have punished him – a parent wouldn't even _let_ Tsuna visit his best friend if they were the cause of trouble. But Tsuna was a gentle spirit, who ran away to _help a sick friend._

Being angry with his brother would have been ridiculous.

From beginning to now, Giotto had his own concerns for Enma's health both physically and mentally. Most boys Enma's age – like Tsuna – were healthy, tall, and lean. The munchkin looked like he weighed very little, and he was always very quiet. Bandages adorned his face like a sick mask to cover his frailness, and red clumps of hair hid his eyes. Enma deliberately tried hard to blend in, scarlet orbs cast to his feet so he remained invisible. He should have realized this when Tsuna first introduced him.

In Giotto's mind, the redheaded teenager was a key chain to Tsuna's ensemble. They held hands like little kids, and Tsuna constantly made sure Enma was eating when they were at the party. He assumed Tsuna was just being a good friend. Not...actually making it his duty to take care of him.

Giotto cursed under his breath. Thoughts like those made him think of when Cozart had been diagnosed with cancer. He doted on the man constantly, not once letting him out of sight for the longest time. A knife stabbed his heart, and with a blink, Giotto felt a burst of dizziness consume his mind. Everything. Daemon...Cozart...

Enma's resemblance...the eyes, the nose, the mouth, _his hair_ –

"I need to speak to a relative of Enma-san's."

The adult snapped out of his thoughts, eyes raising to the nurse standing highly at the end of the waiting room.

Tsuna stood up. "I-I'm...h-his brother."

If the nurse didn't believe his lie, she didn't show it. Instead she revealed the clipboard in her grasp. "He's currently incoherent. We've given him some medicine that calmed him down, but it appears he can't speak."

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna bit his lip. "He lost his voice."

"I need you to answer Enma-san's medical history. Is he allergic to any medicines?"

"Not...that I know of."

"Good. Is there a history of cancer in his family?"

"I...yes. H-His older brother died of leukemia a few years back." _What?_

Giotto cocked his head. Tsuna shivered, and it looked as though he was about to faint. He looked over to G, who also tuned into the conversation. It wasn't possible. Sure, Giotto thought carefully. What were the chances? No. No, no, no, no.

"When was his last visit to the hospital?"

"When he w-was eleven. For Appendicitis."

"Hm." The nurse's forehead creased, and she carefully studied what she had written down. Strange, her face read. If she had a sneaking suspicion of anything, she didn't let it show. "How odd. If your medical records are on file, I wonder why his aren't. The computer doesn't register an 'Enma Kozato' anywhere in this district."

"What?" Apparently Giotto and G weren't the only ones shocked. Tsuna's brown eyes had a look of retreat, frustrated, before he looked back up again. "Enma Shimon. C-Could you look up the name 'Enma Shimon'?"

The nurse paused, then nodded. She appeared hesitant – probably _finally_ figuring out Tsuna was lying – and nodded. "As you wish." With that, she departed through double doors.

Enma Shimon. No. Not possible – no way. He'd heard the rumor, before meeting Cozart, but—

Tsuna collapsed in the seat across from the pair and buried his head in his hands. G was the first one to go over as if he knew more about what was going on, and that he did. Tsuna looked up and Giotto could see it in his eyes.

His brother had been tampered with; his little world destroyed and the balance diminished. He seemed aged, and Giotto wished it was last week where Tsuna was enjoying himself.

"Did you know about the Shimons?" G whispered tenderly. "About Cozart? Mami?"

"I..." Brown eyes widened, reading into what his best friend had just said, and Tsuna shook his head. "I didn't know all of it."

"How did Enma-kun come here?" G's voice raised calmly; only a gentle bit to let Tsuna know that they needed answers, but not enough that it would scare him away.

_Like how I scared him._ Like all the time. Giotto overreacted – he let his emotions go haywire and had become vulnerable. Sure, G had more experience with little kids – the blond himself normally despised the ground they walked on – and he took care of Hayato, but he was a better big brother. Way better. Jealousy bubbled at the pit of Giotto's stomach, and he swallowed it down. There wasn't room for that.

"Who _is_ Enma-kun?"

"I...I..." Tsuna's voice deteriorated. In all honesty, Giotto was surprised his brother wasn't crying. He would have. The brunet tried to form words, but failed. One little sentence managed to squeeze its way out. "He's the heir."

"The heir? To Shimon?" It was Giotto's turn to speak. His mind whirled. True, he had his suspicions and was still a little lightheaded from adrenaline, but in a twisted way, it made sense.

Tsuna looked up to him, withering eyes pressed against curiosity, and slowly nodded. "I...he...I'm not really sure about the entire story. Wh-When I first met him...h-he was with his brother." _Cozart._ "His brother and he were playing...and Cozart-san gave Enma a small red box—"

"With a ring in it." Now Giotto was up to date. Hopefully. His own brother looked to him in surprise, and Giotto continued. "The Shimons play by business deals and is made up of pure, Italian blood coming from a long line of Dukes and Landlords. That ring is passed on from successor-to-successor, and Cozart was the eldest, presumably the _only _heir. He inherited the ring when he was born, and gave it to his little brother as a keepsake."

The brunet looked surprised. G responded. "You say that Enma has foster parents. I know Cozart personally – he would've loved Enma-kun too much to let him go."

His brother nodded, eyebrows furrowing. "He did."

"The rumored second child." Suddenly, Giotto let out a low whistle. It wasn't every day that he found out one of is old business partners and best friend _also_ had a little brother...who was best friends with his. Yippee-fucking-doo. He...wanted to laugh. The thought ran through Giotto's mind over and over, reducing him to one thought, and – "Three redheads for the price of two. Damn you and your alien communications, Gaspare."

Cracking a joke wasn't appropriate right now, the blond knew. G and Tsuna gave him looks of surprise, but not disapproval. Relief, maybe, that Giotto was willing to smile.

"We can get Alaude to do a full background check on this." G rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Knowing Roberto, I wouldn't doubt it if he arranged Enma's current home situation." This piqued Tsuna's interest. Giotto put his hands in his lap, debating whether or not he should take out his phone. "Roberto chose a home carefully, _away_ from Italy and Cozart must have known this from the start. I bet in giving Enma-kun that ring, he planned on blackmailing his father when it came time to succession and bringing his brother back under the rightful name."

"B-But...Could Cozart-san really...really plan that?"

"You forget that we're only nine years apart, little brother." Giotto arched a careful eyebrow. Tsuna stared at him in confusion before the red scattered across his cheeks like a wildfire. "When did you meet Cozart and Enma?"

"When...we were six..."

"There. Cozart had to be at least fifteen. You don't have to be an adult to hatch a plan – whether it was his intention or not, he was only being spiteful." Giotto tilted his head to the side reasonably.

The brunet shut his eyes before lowering his head. "They kicked him out because he didn't have the ring."

So, the Shimon Family had been _that_ hateful since Cozart's death. Giotto bit his tongue and decided best not to speak. Finally the same nurse burst through the doors, elegant and calm with a smile.

She stopped in front of Tsuna again, manilla folder fresh in hand with the fresh scent of Sharpie. _Enma Shimon_ decorated the label. A social security card, one page of a medical record, and a birth certificate poked through the edges like she'd just put it together. Nothing else.

"We couldn't find an Enma Kozato-san, but you were right. We found an Enma Shimon-san."

"How..." Tsuna's eyes tripled in size. "How is he?"

The nurse looked through her papers again before offering a peaceful smile. "He's been diagnosed with pneumonia. From the looks of it, he'd gotten a bad case. Whoever treated his symptoms allowed his body to last longer – but you're lucky. We got to your brother in time, and his body is responding well to the antibiotics. The doctors want to keep him overnight and maybe a few days for further study."

A sigh of relief escaped the brunet's lips. Altogether his body fell limp like a doll, back in his seat, before he realized what she said. "A-A few days?"

"The doctor wants to inspect his voice." She nodded reassuringly. "It's unusual, and his heartbeat is erratic. He found bruises and cuts that while neatly wrapped, need to be further inspected before the doctor completes his diagnosis."

"Can you tell what's wrong with his voice?"

"I don't know. We'll see." The nurse was curt, and she nodded slowly before gesturing to the double doors. "Would you like to see him—?"

"Yes. P-Please."

Giotto stood to follow, but G held him back. Tsuna was off by himself, scampering after the woman like a nervous puppy. It wasn't a good time. Tsuna was far more emotionally unstable right now than Giotto himself; what the hell did G think he was doing? "What?"

"For a second you were yourself again. With Tsuna. Are you...okay?" G's voice was soft. So soft that he doubted Mukuro and the rest of his gang could hear them in their own little corner. _Oh_.

Giotto plopped next to his best friend, defeated, and felt the cushions squish under his bottom. "Okay with my brother, or...okay in general?"

"Both."

"I..." Funny. Tsuna apparently wasn't the only brother who had trouble with his sentences. Giotto leaned over, eyes at the leg of the chair in front of him, and ran a hand through his hair. The stress came back, along with the numb sensation earlier on that made it hard for his heart to beat. G and Cozart were his best friends growing up. The loss of Cozart had shaken him, and still, G always made sure he had a shoulder to cry on. "Thanks...G. _Thank you._"

G watched out for Tsuna, nurtured him when Giotto wasn't emotionally prepared for it – when he _still_ wasn't emotionally mature enough. When the blond was in over his head with his decisions, G was the first person to support him wholeheartedly. Always. Giotto knew he wasn't completely stable at the moment, and G accepted it.

It was almost a week now since Alaude told him he found Daemon. His body barely processed thought better than his mind, and G took it upon himself to take care of Tsuna. All week he recieved constant visits from all his friends: Asari Ugetsu, Knuckle, _even Alaude._ And G was a miracle worker.

He ensured Giotto was at the peak of his health, even if the blond couldn't care less.

The redhead could calm storms. He was solid (despite irresponsibly sharing alcohol with his sixteen-year-old charge), and Tsuna had taken a liking to him. He coaxed Tsuna easily. His best friend – _brother – _had come a long way from his hotheaded years, where he screamed at everything with legs that bothered walking within twenty feet of Giotto.

And Giotto was a jealous. Very jealous. G could talk to Tsuna without appearing as an absolute idiot. He could chatter up the boy without overthinking or with fear that he would offend him. G was everything Tsuna should have had as a brother. Not..._him._

Giotto wasn't a good brother. He didn't react well when more than just his state-of-mind was in jeopardy. He wasn't the first to know Tsuna ran away from home, didn't immediately take Tsuna to the doctor when he injured his leg, nor make him feel at home from the beginning.

"You're welcome." G's voice came off as a hoarse whisper. He smelled of cigarettes and an underlying scent of pomegranate gelato. "Let's give them some time alone...alright?"

"Right. Yeah."

He considered learning to become a better brother. Now would be the perfect chance.

OoOoO

Despite the image that haunted with Tsuna's mind, Enma wasn't hooked up to twenty different tubes, forty needles, and whatever else. An IV was next to his bed, followed by a device pressed against his head measuring his pulse. A mask was over the redhead's face, and Tsuna assumed it was for his trouble breathing.

The last time Tsuna was at a hospital, Lambo had been born.

He hated the eerie feeling it projected and its silence. Enma's heartbeat was fine, and the color was back on his face. His bandages had been replaced by ones that looked more professional. As far as Tsuna could tell, he was fast asleep. Peacefully, by the looks of it.

The nurse left him a lone. Good.

Tsuna pulled up a seat, eyes still transfixed on his best friend. He was...better. He had to be.

"You scared me half to death." More than half. He was surprised that by now he hadn't fallen dead from panic. Everything was solved. Giotto cracked a joke when they were in the waiting room, and a small widget of his true self shined through. Enma was at the hospital, fully taken care of, and Fran was able to delay Enma's illness.

He was lucky. _Incredibly lucky._

With that alone, the teenager felt is body grow weary and ran a hand through Enma's hair. His soft breathing could be heard behind the gas mask, and for the first time in a week, Enma was getting good sleep.

"I'm..." Tsuna's face glowed with heat. He blinked the meddling things away – the stupid, pathetic tears that told him he was the worst best friend in the history of infinity. _I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry._ He should have never left. That first night when Nana sat him down, fed him curry and told him she'd be going to Italy, he should have said no.

If he stayed, then Enma wouldn't be reduced to this. He cupped a hand on a pocket of his backpack and pulled out a small, wooden box.

He should have said no to _a lot _of things.

"_You still haven't opened it yet." _

The day came fluttering back – the Sunday where Enma was to leave, and they bought donuts. On the night before, very few people brought gifts, but it didn't matter. To have a party at all made Tsuna's heart swell. Because of the events going back and forth from his party and G's party, Enma never got the chance to give him his present.

Until just then.

"_It's your ring,"_ he had said incredulously. Chocolate brown eyes widened in surprise. The craftsmanship was beyond Tsuna's understanding, and he knew it wasn't worth a quarter in a toy machine. They were at the train station, and Giotto and G waited on them outside.

Enma looked at the ring, then back to his best friend with a smile.

"_Enma, I can't take this—"_

"_You can. I'm letting you. It's..." _Red eyebrows furrowed together, and dainty hands wrapped around Tsuna's own before his expression turned apologetic. _"It's not the best birthday present in the world, I-I know—"_

"_I can't take this,"_ Tsuna said again. His head throbbed in horror. _"E-Enma, your brother—"_

"_Keep it for me. Cherish it."_ The redhead was insistent. The dark gem gracing the platinum gem glimmered in Enma's eyes. Just looking at his best friend, Tsuna saw the redhead's love and care, and what he had to do to keep it that way. _"They're...they've been looking for it recently, and I'm running out of places to hide it. Please?" _

Enma cherished his brother's memento more than his own life.

"_I...o-okay..." _

Looking back now, Tsuna had no doubt Enma most likely didn't regret his decision. The brunet bit his lip, head tilted to the side. But...he ducked his head. Cozart was dead. Leukemia, of all things.

"_Will you come back when I'm done playing with Tsuna?" _

"_Of course I will, Piccolino!" _

Play with him, Tsuna remembered Cozart saying. Cozart said that he would pick Enma up when they were done playing. But he never came. Cozart left a six-year-old boy at the park, who was picked up by Adelheid before the day was over without a word.

It was the first time he ever saw his best friend devastated. Years later, he saw the smile again; the rare one that made Enma brighter than the sun, when Cozart sent a letter. Enma kept it close to him like a cherished memory, and it was as important as their friendship.

After that, no other letters came.

"I'm so sorry," Tsuna whispered softly. He was _absolutely and completely_ sorry. Enma and he finished "playing" a month and a half ago. Tsuna moved, and Enma was left by himself. His brother couldn't pick him up because he was dead. Tsuna was more than sorry.

He let his best friend alone, to fend for himself at a house that was obligated to keep him, and was useless. Tsuna wasn't old enough to get drugs, he didn't realize Enma was suffering from _pneumonia_, and everyone around him did what he should have done: keep Enma safe.

"Damn." The word rolled off G's tongue without hesitation. Tsuna shoved the ring back in his backpack, wiped away his tears, and whirled around. He fidgeted, eyes landing on Giotto and G. If they noticed anything, it wasn't brought up. "He looks a hell lot better than when he first got here. Thank God."

"Y...Yeah," Tsuna whispered. He watched carefully as they walked up to the bed to get a better look at his best friend. Giotto lingered close to him.

"Frail little thing." G ran a hand down the slumbering teenager's jawline, and molded a hand around his cheek. "Compared to you, he's simply skin and bones, kid."

"I...yeah." He nodded. "That's why I wanted to get the job. To...get some extra money and check on him."

Giotto cocked his head silently, yet said nothing. It rested on his tongue, and Tsuna offered a look of curiosity. His brother was yet again deep in thought, eyes flickering in their own turmoil. He thought it best not to respond.

The door slowly creaked open and a man in a long white coat came in. Tsuna stood up, automatically assuming the role of Enma's caretaker – but he didn't expect for the man to be so tall. He staggered back into his seat and resisted the urge to squeak.

F-For a moment he mistook the doctor as Yamamoto for his h-height.

"You may call me Doctor Nowaki." The tall adult flashed a gentle smile. "Enma-kun gave you quite a scare there, didn't he?"

Tsuna looked down to the ground and nodded. They should have gone to the doctor days ago before Enma's spasms.

"Don't worry. Your brother is fine – but we are concerned about his vocal cords. The x-rays showed that he suffers from what appears to be a vocal fold nodule."

U-Uh.

"What's that?" Giotto asked for him.

"A vocal cord nodule reduces or obstructs the ability of the vocal folds to create the rapid changes in air pressure which generate human speech. Basically, they're blocking off Enma-kun's ability to speak." Doctor Nowaki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It would be the reason why he wasn't able to talk; though how he obtained it is still a mystery."

"Th-then, how will it be treated?"

"A simple, quick surgery. It seems if we don't, his voice will remain like that." The doctor acknowledged the brunet's unease. His eyes glimmered with mischief, and Tsuna gulped. D-Did he realize they weren't b-brothers? "Don't worry. Before we prep him for surgery, he must get over his pneumonia, otherwise his sickness may get worse as we apply the anesthesia. It's a clean and cut surgery and a common procedure. After that, he may have to endure speech therapy, and...from there, we'll see what happens."

Giotto squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. Warmth radiated through his touch, and he felt his brother lean into him for support. "That's great."

Doctor Nowaki..._seemed_ nice enough. "We'll come by later to explain the procedure to him, and get consent from his immediate family. I suggest going home and getting some—" A phone rang. For a moment they waited, and as the doctor inspected the caller ID, his face lit up.

"S-Sorry...I have to take this." He pressed the phone to his ear, and left with his last words being, "Hiro-san? What is it?"

The door closed behind him.

"Looks like things are okay then."

Tsuna looked up to his brother's face. It had changed a little from this afternoon. While it was clear that he didn't have full control over the situation, he had sunk back into his skin long enough to be sober.

"I'm...s-s..."

"Don't." Fiery orbs looked at him passively. A hand touched Tsuna's shoulder, and he could feel his neck spike with a blush. "You're fine. After we're done, let's go get some dinner and head over to the hotel – it's been a long day."

H...Huh? "H...Hotel?" Tsuna blinked. "You mean...we're staying?"

The room was silent, other than the beating of Enma's heart monitor. Giotto's lips parted slightly, rendered speechless, before he closed it. "Gaspare, talk some sense into him."

G chuckled. "No, _Ieyatsu._ Why don't you?"

Now he was _really_ confused. Tsuna looked between the both of them, trying to find the answer hidden in their words, but it added up to nothing.

"Tsuna. We're staying until Enma-kun gets better." O-Oh. Giotto smiled gently and pressed his forehead to his younger brother's. "You don't have a choice. You think I would actually rip you two apart after what's happened?"

W-well...maybe...no... Tsuna didn't know what to say. His hand twitched, and –

His poor brother never had a chance when Tsuna jumped him. The brunet tackled Giotto, who almost toppled over with the weight. G got up, instinctively going into bodyguard mode while the teenager buried his face in the crook of Giotto's neck. Giotto stiffened; was this the first time that they ever hugged?

"Thank you so much." Tsuna's voice muffled into Giotto's neck, and he realized he was standing at the tip of his toes. A few tentative minutes later, Giotto hugged back and shrugged.

"Even dead meat needs to be cut some slack sometimes."

Oddly enough, Tsuna found himself laughing. He was giddy like a little kid. G plopped down back on his seat as the pair pulled away, and Tsuna blushed. H-He wasn't much of a hugger.

He looked back to his best friend and scarlet eyes slowly fluttered open. Enma was stirring.

"Enma," Tsuna muttered. Relief shot through his body and he slumped forward –

"You okay, kid? You know you gave us quite a sca—" He didn't realize that the first thing that must have registered in Enma's mind was G hovering over him. The taller redhead pressed a hand to Enma's forehead – and the younger burst red.

His eyes tripled in size, succumb to the realization that G was now _touching_ him and –

"Eek! E-Enma!"

"Gah? ! S-Someone get a nurse!"

– Enma fainted, just as Giotto burst into a hilarious cackle. G flipped out, and Tsuna repeatedly tapped the nurse button in panic; all before one of the nurses stomped in and kicked them out for the night. A-Apparently they had been too loud.

**Author's Note: **

Uh. So the ending isn't supposed to be taken seriously. Let's put it this way – Enma Hinata!blushed/fainted when G Naruto!bent over and looked over him to see if he's okay. xD There's only a little bit more for Enma planned before we get back to Giotto and Tsuna, but it gives you a keen eye of both Giotto and Tsuna's points of views. Giotto's been portrayed a little vulnerably, but I think any adult would be as stressed as he was, taking so many things on at once. G is definitely a good best friend to have.

I keep getting hammered for my typos lately; and I guess it comes with this reason, mostly. A lot of the mess and clutter is because I had to switch to OpenOffice, and I'm used to Word doing a good thirteen percent of my editing for me. xD Anyway, let's get down to the FAQ.

**1. How did you come up with this story? (Did something inspire you, or was it spontaneous, or something else?)**

A little bit of both. A lot of stories, when I'm inspired, are just spur of the moment. I'd been reading some yaoi manga because I was in the mood for it, and one of the mangas just stuck out to me. I liked it for the emotion, but I didn't like it because...well, it was just a stupid plot. So originally, this story was made to make fun of this, and a lot of yaoi cliches; with a good number of twists in it. So a night after I was finished with that manga, I went, "This is stupid", looked up some stories on , didn't like the AU plot either and – well, you guys know me now. I hate the uke/seme system; so I put a spin on it. xD****

2. Do you plan the story before? (as in the chapters) and how?  
I can honestly say I've changed a lot of things, have a lot of things planned, and am still coming up with some things as I come along. This chapter was revised a good number of times – and I came up with a different plot about halfway through the story (what we have so far.) You wanna hear it? "G." wasn't going to stand for Gaspare. The plot was basically, Giotto took Tsuna in and took care of him, posing as his brother, but he offered to do it because G wasn't sure that he could. My theory for a good while was that "G." in the manga stands for "Giotto," and that they have the same name, but he just shortened it in dedication to his boss. But eh. That was a "What-if" plot; not what I originally intended. xD **  
3. How do you keep the characters in role? (an amazing skill/talent!)**

Honestly? Like every other writer, I guess? You guys always tell me how well I keep the characters in...well, character. xD The method I use, I guess, is that I examine their character in the manga/anime. Gokudera and Tsuna are good examples. Gokudera is loud, aggressive, and violent – so that's what I write him as. You see him cursing when the spotlight is on him, and you see him butting heads and ranting. What you guys told me this time round in reviews was that I'm going realistically at this, and so I guess I solidified a realistic personality for them. Gokudera strikes me as an analyzer, and Tsuna strikes me as the type who dwells a lot. It's not that _I_ believe I write them in character, I guess. I'm kinda worried how you guys will react to Giotto's moodswings all of this chapter. However, I do believe I've done a good interpretation of them? Their reactions, and just a bit of logic? ****

4. How do you manage your time writing? (how long do you spend on chapters, and do you work in short segments of time or fully write a draft and revise late or something else?) 

Huh. Depends, actually. xD I normally post as soon as I'm done writing it; but I normally don't even bother writing until the day I plan on posting it. Take the last chapter for example; I spent all day on it. However, this chapter is different. Saturday was what I spent on it, but Sunday, I wrote/finished this. So I like working in long terms, but it doesn't mean that I always have the time in the world for it. So yeah. It's actually a little good when your brain makes you trip. That way you can get a bit of figurative language, and it looks good on paper. Then again, that's just how I work. I guess uh, with no halts, I spent about...six to eight hours on this chapter? I stopped in between a lot though, so... xD

Soo, questions like that are what I'm willing to answer. xD Anything is fine, so long as you don't ask me like, "WHAT DID DAEMON SPADE DO TO GIOTTO?" I mean, you can ask me. I just won't answer them. Aha. Uh, I haven't issued a challenge lately. I suppose...I'll write a dirty talking HDW!Tsuna to eh, Giotto, I guess? To anyone that can uh...get _Fire Princess21 _as my 807th reviewer. :D And if you don't want that, you can see my fail attempt at drawing a candycane. xD


	18. hugs and kisses

**Sakuramiyuki0 **Aw, he's fine. Don't worry. :) **TsukikoIchihara **Haha! His hair is red for lovee. **Plushiepaw **haha; I wrote this the Sunday after the last update, actually. This chapter in particular is probably one of my longest, if not the longest for this story. **FaerieDemon **Yup, he indeed glomped Giotto ;D. but if I called it that, it wouldn't look very professional written down in text. xD thank you so much. :D **Fire Princess 21 **Dude I had exams too! :D **Kanberry **I really do give up. My mind is very odd. xD **derorrim **HAHA. MATH WAS EASY FOR ME. OUR TEACHER GAVE US THE STUDY GUIDE, CUT OFF FIFTY QUESTINS, AND LET US USE IT ON THE TEST. AND IT WAS ALL IN ORDER. ;D **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Yes he is. :D **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **Haha. Sakura and Sasuke? I dunno; even the cold-hearted guys (Mukuro and Hibari) are more on the sadistic/playful side rather than the wangsty side. xD I don't watch Durarara actually. But yeah, I know which couple you're talking about. xD MCR? I hear them. :D Stuck in the Middle by Mika and First Dance by NeverShoutNever (this song I'm trying to figure out who it fits. I dunno who.) **Shimaki-33 **Haha. Don't worry; I know how you feel. **Ezcap1st **Haha. That's good to know; I was kinda dragging with this chapter. **An anonymous Fangirl **Giotto is kind hard to write vulnerable. Not because it's hard to write, but because I have no idea how the readers will react. xD **pamellka **Orlynao? xD damn, how long has it been since I've written a G27 fic? I hope you did well on your math exam. **RanRanByakuran **Haha, inorite? I actually started out on this account with a junjou story. It didn't receive well, so I deleted it. **Chocolate Fax Machine **Byakuran is actually the only person I like Mukuro with. xD Maybe I'll get cracky and say 80100 (in that order, aha), but that's it. G and Giotto know way too many people; it's really funny. xD **Suzuru Seiyo **Aw, thats really sweet. C; **Urge2Kill **haha; that's okay. Hiro-san is adorable. xD **Lireach **I suppose I can't expect everything to go my way on that part. xD Perhaps it just bugs me that when they're given the uke and seme role, they don't apply their personalities – they apply the **uke** role and the **seme **role. YAMAMOTO WOULD. AHA. **xxxKimi-chan **Yah, right? :D Giotto and Tsuna are just so cute. xD I like cute couples a lot. **373 **In bed or in custody? =o **xryuchan27 **haha, thank you so much! **Breathless02 **G27 fluff? Mebbe. ;D **Ophianara Blade **OMG ME TOO. Just...not rereading. :D;;** Drunk **Haha; I meant to put that in while Enma was still with them, but it just wouldn't fit. **Zarokin **Haha; you're like a lot of people. xD They reviewed for Nowaki. **Gin Nanashi **ME TOO. NO MORE EXAMS. I love how everyone freaks out about Junjou Romantica in it. xD **Rainbowbubble **So far I've gotten, "Damn, I thought for sure Giotto was gonna take him in the back and have his way with him." xD And yeah; I was thinking of the episode with Hinata's debut shippuden when I wrote that. There are a lot of doujins out there and I can name one where he's as shy as Tsuna. :B **Happy2Bme **I don't like pie, actually. I like cheese cake. :D I never thought about it that way; I think I was too depressed that I had really obvious typos in the story. xD Giotto's character is fun to write, but he's also dynamic. I would say he's one of my most human characters that I've ever had to deal with, because you see him irritated, shy, amused, and vulnerable. The others, too, are very characteristic, but he has a lot of mood changes. That chapter was more explanation than it was supposed to be entertaining, truth be told. **Eyes17k **I love how everyone refers to him as Gaspare in this story now. It's so funny. xD Giotto is a sugar daddy. :D It's a recurring joke, from uh. Chapter...ten? C': **Soulfightersu **It's actually been so long since I've written Tsuna that I've gotten a little worried if he's still portrayed the same way before I stopped focusing on him. xD **Yumiko-Emiko **aw, thanks a lot! :) **PoisonedMemoir **Your entire thing springs off your question...and I'm planning on replying to it, so this isn't a good reply here. xD;; And thanks so much. I actually am changing it as the manga goes along. Aha. **LivingGlow** Ah? Don't worry, my ego's good. xD You can't satisfy everyone, so I'm not mad. I hope _I_, as the writer, didn't offend _you._ **Abg31 **Haha, you'll just have to wait and see. And yeah; I tried really hard to make sure this chapter was pretty serious. ...Then I got bored, and Giotto decided to talk about G and Enma's alien communication. xD And you'll have to wait and see. :) **InfinityOnTheRun **B'aww, I'm loved. :D **L.L **Haha, thanks so much!**FifthDayOfMay **Haha. One of my reviewers called it a glomp. xD **The Neo Productions **Haha ,thank you. C: **Routasu **Yes I am. From fangirls. :D And that's fine, I don't really care. xD Cute and hot? BEST COMBO EVER. **Cattwo22 ** I was drinking caffiene when I read this. lmao. Yamamoto just goes for the cute, tsundere type. xD **Mel-Chama **I made you _cry? _Oh, jeebus. xD; and yeah, finals were horrible for me, too. **R a a i n **Maybee. :) I've got a prompt to do so, plus I've been craving some Cozart x G lately. xD **copycat-capycot **Haha. I think I overlooked Tsuna's doting. Someone described it as father!Tsuna. **Sender unknown **Woohoo. xD **the RPers HELL group. **That is very true. xD **AutunnoSolare **You're Portuguese? One of my best friends is Brazilian! **AlexisS **Haha, thanks. c': **Anjerin Fujioka **So, I was like...done editing ten minutes after you reviewed. xD I lol'd.

**NOTE: I highly recommend listening to May I by Trading Yesterday/Tonight by FM Static/Lullaby by The Spill Canvas/Your Ex-Lover is Dead by Stars when you read the first part (Tsuna's thoughts.) Then A Walk Through Hell by Say Anything/Who Knew by Pink/Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin (G's thoughts.) After that, Somewhere Only We Know by Keane/Stolen by Dashboard Confessional/Good to You by Marianas Trench/She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 (Gokudera's thoughts.) Then, You'll Be In My Heart; Teddy Geiger version/When I Said I Would by Whitney Duncan/For You I Will by Teddy Geiger (Enma's thoughts.)** ...The bold ones are the good ones. :D

**chapter eighteen has **hugs and kisses.

The rest of the night ran smoothly. Tsuna could not recall the last time he was able to sit down around dinner with Giotto and G without worry bubbling in the back of his mind. Most of last week, G would watch him at the office, they would buy food-to-go, and go home, where G could check on his brother. On occasion there were visits from Asari Ugetsu-san and many other guests that knew Giotto personally.

That had been last week. The hospital was located in a neighboring town not too far from Shimon; fifteen minutes by subway. With Enma in mind, they grabbed dinner and later a hotel suite five minutes from the hospital. Giotto and G were locked in a conversation, flipping through languages like TV channels. Tsuna watched, oddly interested. His brother's eyebrows were often furrowed, and as G occasionally broke to eat his food, the blond would space out, lips dipping slowly as his once fiery eyes cast a look into the distance.

It wasn't boring. Tsuna often found himself worried for his best friend's well-being during dinner, but for once he knew Enma would be okay. As he stood to go to the restroom, Giotto stood with him and followed the poor boy. He dashed for a bathroom stall once they were there.

"How long do you think it'll take before you trust me again?" He had asked. The toilet flushed automatically, and he stood on one side of the stall door as Giotto guarded him on the other. The noise of customers about had yet to die out, and very little people came to and from the front. His voice had echoed.

"Days? Weeks?" Giotto's voice was deep, if not a little winded. "It's hard to tell."

"I..." Tsuna shut his eyes. "Wh-What I did was inexcusable—"

"What you did was inexcusable," the blond repeated. Mirth delicately laced his words, and Tsuna felt him lean into the stall door. "But I'm glad you did it."

He said nothing in return. Pink bloomed through his cheeks, and red burned his ears. As the brunet exited the bathroom, he resisted the urge to look his brother in the eye. Brown eyes absorbed the floor, and he stumbled once – twice – before a strong hand grabbed his arm.

Fiery orbs met his gaze, blazing with the intensity he'd been attracted to when they first met. Beautifully long bangs as breathtaking as the sun, moon, stars, and all celestial matter that once existed upon their universe fell in languid portions to the side, and his brother offered a look of woolgathering fervor.

"Giotto—?"

Giotto embraced him. Broad arms tightly wrapped around his body, and his shoulder was dominated by his brother's slim and idle nose. Giotto breathed in his scent, buried in that his younger brother. For a moment, the brunet could barely register what was happening. Giotto's body was on fire, Italian blood radiating with such warmth that made Tsuna feel like jelly. Red hiked up his neck, and Tsuna looked at his brother in worry.

Until he laughed, of course.

"I'm proud of you, little brother. But you are _so_ still dead meat." With that, the embrace was over. Warmth escaped him, replaced by expensive air conditioning and a husky scent of Red Lobster's seafood. "Go wash your hands. I don't want your cooties."

With that, the conversation had been dropped. Tsuna said not a word, body t-tingling, and stared at the ground on their way back. G was messing with his phone. The evening was complete when they finished, and they took a taxi back to the hotel.

It was big. _Really_ big. By simply looking up, Tsuna could see balconies and risings going all the way to the twentieth floor, and a stain glass skylight that particularly looked like a rainbow.

"Ah...ko..." Tsuna squinted, eyes fixated on the English text written in bold letters.

"Arcobaleno." G ruffled the teenager's hair as the brunet blushed, and handed a card key to Giotto. "I'm gonna make a few phone calls to make sure work is covered for the next few days – and get a damn beer."

The blond arched an eyebrow, amused. "You don't want to try this Arcobaleno's red wine? Their hotels always carry the finest alcoholic beverages."

G smiled weakly. "I'll take my chances with Budweiser." Not a second too soon, his smile dropped, eyes flickering to Tsuna. Chocolate orbs peered upward, confused, and red eyebrows contorted slowly. He changed his speech to Italian, and the amusement on Giotto's face vanished.

Instead, the blond nodded and raised his hand. Tentatively, he held it out before cautiously resting it on G's shoulder. It was different.

The brunet forced his thoughts down, fingers grabbing at his ear to silence himself. The...th-the thought of warmth...made his heart flutter. It was the same all day – how Giotto would embrace him without a thought and twitch in pain at the thought of human contact with others.

Wh...why?

"Don't hurt yourself." His brother's lips curtsied tentatively and he grazed a hand through G's hair. Hesitation glimmered through waning-fiery orbs, and Giotto offered a pity chuckle. "Use your alien communication if you get lost."

"Very funny." G arched a wry eyebrow. He lowered his gaze, eyes tenderly falling upon Tsuna. "Take good care of him, alright?"

"A-Alright." Sanguine radiated Tsuna's cheeks. Without another word, the redheaded adult left them alone in the hotel lobby. Giotto took lead, and Tsuna followed after him like a lost puppy.

All thoughts were of his brother. Oddly enough, Giotto was the one who didn't want to strike a conversation. Tsuna noticed the little things his brother did – standing closely to the elevator entrance/exit, fingers brushing ever-so gently against buttons as other hotel guests entered and left. Smog blocked the embers in fiery orbs, and rarely did the adult raise his gaze.

"Giotto." The name left Tsuna's lips much deeper than intended, and more of a demand than of a question. No answer. Pink tickling his face, the teenager tilted his head with concern. He...i-intertwined his fingers with those of his brother's.

Instantaneously, the blond snapped out of his thoughts, eyes rising in high flames, and peered down in confusion. Tsuna wouldn't look at him. Using his free hand, he tugged the strings of his hoodie and guided his brother out the elevator after apologizing to impatient hotel guests.

Warmth tingled through his fingers, and brown eyes desperately sought the room they were staying in. Tsuna jerked, hand tightening over Giotto's, and they came to a stop.

He l-looked up, face blazing – _why was he so nervous_? Because it was Giotto. Giotto made his heart go into cardiac arrest by his simple gaze, and his intoxicating – almost _childish_ – laugh caused all the blood in his vessels radiate with sweet sparks. It scared him – because his brother wasn't acting like himself.

"We're here," Giotto muttered softly. Tender fingers grazed the skin of his jaw, gently caressing the space from his chin to his ear, and Tsuna shivered. The sensation was one he never felt before. His brother chuckled distantly, but with such sweetness that made his ears tingle. "You're so strange today."

And how long have you been strange? "H-How do you know Mukuro?"

Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening in shock as his older brother's expression dropped. Fiery eyes flickering incandescently, Giotto opened the door with not a word escaping his lips as he made it to the bed. For the first time, he watched a look of grievance pass through the blond's eyes before burying his hands in his hair.

Silence. Dead silence, and Tsuna had been the one who caused it.

His blood ran cold, heart pulsing twenty thousand beats a minute. He stood by the hotel door, one hand instinctively leaving it open, and stared at his brother. H-He d-didn't mean to upset him.

H-He didn't mean to freak his brother out, he—

"How do I explain this to you?" _H-Huh_?

"Y-You don't have to..."

Blazing orbs caught sight of chocolate. The look upon Giotto's face was tight and firm. His lips remained still, and he ushered the boy in. A hand clasped the blond's chest, and he stood erect. Tsuna closed the door behind him, hesitant, and stood a foot before his brother.

"Mukuro is the godson of one of my old colleagues, Daemon." Giotto's eyes closed as he leaned forward slightly. "I know him through that."

"O...Oh." Tsuna's hand twitched around the belt loop above his left pocket. "H...How did you know Cozart-san?"

Contrary to what the brunet thought would happen, Giotto tensed. His eyes remained blocked from view, bangs shrouding their mystery, and his hands fiddled together.

"Daemon was the first business man that I was ever associated with." The blond continued on, ignoring his younger brother's question. "I...he. He's about Dino's age. We got to know each other very well, and before I attended business school, he taught me what I didn't already know when growing up."

"But I—" Tsuna stopped himself. _I was asking about Cozart-san_, he wanted to say.

"Cozart," Giotto continued, hands coiling around one another, "is the one who told me not to trust him. G was worried about my judgment, but I didn't care. Daemon was someone I held dearly."

"G...s-says that you choose the businesses to help that you can trust, and rarely go into meetings without him anymore." Tsuna's eyebrows contorted. "I-If at all."

A weak smile curtsied the blond's lips. "Tattletale. It's true. I...trusted Daemon as my personal adviser because he was very good at it. He was my second, before I went back to G. And...he knew all of my secrets. Even about Cozart."

Cozart? "Y-You mean the kissing on his first day of school?"

Giotto blinked, taken off guard. A-Apparently not. He shook his head, reorganizing his thoughts, and looked back to the ground. "The reason I know about the rings is because Cozart told me. Often he had great business ideas, but it was obvious he didn't want to continue the family business. But he told me the deals – kept me updated with Roberto. We planned to do what our parents couldn't: share and some day merge the companies.

"But...while I h-had the best of both of them, I didn't realize Daemon's intentions. He...kept telling me that he wanted to merge Vindice and Vongola, but I declined. Vongola Inc. was only supposed to help his business grow, and Daemon wouldn't leave it be. O...One of the nights, he spoke to me. He'd...stolen Shimon's files, and planned to use it against them.

"I told him not to – even made a deal, that Vindice may keep its name, and Vongola Inc. will help his funding, but he didn't care. At first I thought he was just kidding – he h-had a cruel sense of humor. The next day, I didn't see lash or hair of him, a-and the next week, Shimon lost all of its money.

"I told Cozart. He cared more for...m-my well-being than he did the company. When he was diagnosed with leukemia I—I tried hard to help Shimon win back all its money. Daemon's plan was unclear to me. They...r-refused funding, spent the rest of their money on high doctors; genetic engineers, even, to make sure Mami would _not_ inherit the cancer. They...s-spent more making sure Mami was healthy than making sure their eldest son could live to be thirty.

"He...Cozart d-died years ago. He'd been fighting it for two."

Tsuna waited patiently. His feet had grown numb as Giotto explained the story, eyebrows furrowed as he watched his brother. All...h-he wanted to know was how Cozart and his brother met. He couldn't ask now, n-not...w-with...

Not with Giotto's face blue with disgust, body hunched like a frightened turtle returning to his shell, and clammy skin that sickeningly glimmered under the hotel lamp. Fiery orbs lost their glow, dissipating into smog. A moment later, Giotto snapped out of his thoughts halfway, a hiccup in his ministrations. His body tensed worse, and he hid his gaze, fingers at the base of his hairline.

"M...Mi dispiace—"

"You should get some sleep." Tsuna's own voice was raspy. The clock on the nightstand read 11:32PM, and his brother was to the point where he was incoherent. Slowly stepping forward, Tsuna brought a shaking hand to his brother's face and firmly intertwined their fingers.

Giotto gazed up, vision unclear. He'd become irrational to the point of falling into Italian.

Gently, the brunet pushed his brother into the bed. His hand grazed Giotto's shoulder, down to his hand before tucking the blond like he'd done with Lambo so many times in the past.

"You need the sleep more than I do," Giotto muttered softly.

"I...I-I'm gonna shower."

"Alright. Turn the light off when you're done."

Giotto hadn't realized he was trembling. The stumbles in his speech went unnoticed, and the paleness of his face was sickening to his sun-kissed Italian skin. His body shook like he was in danger, simply speaking of the man – Daemon Spade. Who was he? And...why did Giotto tremble like that, like he was the victim of some sick rape?

The man had lost his voice, struggling to keep himself together for the sake of his little brother, a-and...to not be able to save his best friend – _Enma's brother – _was a hit to his pride.

Did...when...

When Enma first came, did he bring up Giotto's memories? He...s-seemed fine, the entire visit. Oddly protective, even, when Xanxus and Squalo were involved.

Tsuna shut the shower nozzle. He lingered in the tub, eyes examining his toe as thoughts of Giotto, and the odd man_, Daemon Spade_ came to mind. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know why...wh-why all week, Giotto was bedridden. Why G said Giotto was "gravely sick," and wh...why Giotto looked scared than angry?

Why...why was he so lighthearted when he spoke of Cozart at the hospital, but grieving when they were alone?

By the time he was finished with his thoughts, the water had run cold against his skin. Tsuna dried himself off in front of the steamed covered mirror and dressed himself. It...angered him that G beat around the bush when it came to Giotto.

As he exited the bathroom, Tsuna's heart beat in his ears. He set his backpack in the corner, quick to check on his brother. Giotto had fallen asleep, breathing shallow and curled up in his pillow above the sheets. He hadn't changed.

Tsuna trudged toward the other bed, slowly unwinding tucked blankets before burying himself in the pillows. The mattress squeaked under his body, and the teenager cocooned himself with the vast array of blankets. It had been a long time since he slept in a bed, with his own pillows and warmth.

Somehow, it felt uncomfortable.

Chocolate eyes opened slowly into the darkness. They sought the lump on the other side of the room, who stood out even in midnight's wake in his pin-striped suit and full blond hair.

The brunet stood up. He crawled out of bed, careful to trip over whatever was flung on the ground, and slid into bed with his brother. Warmth. _Real warmth._ Tsuna scooted closer, and the scent of his brother's nervous sweat mixed with that of mint chocolate ice cream.

The bed moaned and shook, and the impression made by his brother shifted. Giotto's voice sounded scratchy, but not groggy. "Tsuna. What are you—?"

"I had a bad dream." _Liar. Liar, liar, pants on fire._ Red swept Tsuna's neck, softly dancing across his creamy skin under the covers, and he felt a hand run through his wet hair. He shut his eyes, refusing to look his brother in the face.

For a moment, it seemed the facade would not convince his brother. Finally, Giotto lifted the blankets before they lay body-to-body with each other. Wordlessly, Tsuna grabbed his brother's arm and buried his face in the blond's shoulder. Giotto concurred, and he ran a hand through the brunet's hair once again.

"You're so weird." Tired amusement tickled the adult's throat.

"Thanks for letting me sleep with you. F-For bad dreams, you know." He was such a liar. "G-Good night, Giotto."

"Sogni dolci, Tsuna."

And so was Giotto. But until he was ready to tell Tsuna everything, the younger brother would do anything to make his older feel safe.

OoOoO

"Tell Takeshi-kun that Tsuna is fine. Yeah." Pause. "_Hayato_, I don't care if you're not speaking to each other. But you best do best do what I say." Pause. "Look – I don't give a crap. I gotta go now. _Behave._"

G hung up as the subway arrived in Shimon. He peered out the window to pedestrians going to and from restaurants. Funny, he concluded. You wouldn't expect a small town such as Shimon to actually have a subway. He supposed it was to get to the nearby towns and cities with more to visit.

He exited, hand on his phone almost instinctively. There were tings to get done – business deals, appropriating little men – _watching his ex-brother-in-law_. A small smile spread across his face, and through G's weariness he almost laughed.

Damn, he had a stressful life. It wasn't a surprise, however.

Giotto was first to ask for his friendship. Being their chauffeur's son, G supposed he saw his best friend's protection more important than his own life. A mafia boss and his righthand man, one could have said.

His smile dropped to a frown as he climbed the stairs to the surface and concern fluttered through his chest. Giotto, who was currently incapacitated, unable to endure the touch of another person – just holding hands or touching shoulders, even – and Tsuna, who put the sake of his best friend before his...better judgment.

The kid had guts.

There was nothing else to it. G knew a horse ass's well that Tsuna had a drive that could either get him in trouble or let him become a revolutionary figure to the world. Well, maybe both.

And the tension between two brothers was imminent. G knew Giotto long enough that he suited the role as the younger brother. Dino spoiled him when given the chance, and Celeste raised winners. Giotto held expectations for people, and it was almost innate. He was serious when it came to his business, and relaxed when it came to his friends. Tsuna was an anomaly.

Giotto grew up in a world of business people, and often on the terms of, "What can you do for me?"

Tsuna was humble. He was kind, sweet, and more of a Dino rather than Giotto, and for that the younger Vongola found himself at wit's end coming up with a compromise. A compromise in business deals? Easy. Compromising his brother when for the next nine months, his well-being depended on how Giotto would raise him? Not as easy.

Despite how wise Giotto came to be at his age (feh, only twenty-five), he still needed to learn. However, Daemon Spade couldn't have come at a worse time, along with Tsuna's problems. It was a bad habit; forgetting everyone had a life.

G grew used to Tsuna's timidity just like he grew used to Giotto's unorthodox schemes, and found himself in the middle of all their problems.

But was it a 'problem' for him? G chuckled. Nah. He lived for it.

Not a second too soon, he reached the Suzuki Residence. From what the nurses had told him of "Enma Shimon," along with records of the kid's immediate family, the Suzuki family lived as any other ordinary family. Which sounded right.

It was five minutes to midnight when he finally reached the street, and the house looked like any other house on the street. Nothing menacing; nothing that signaled they were cruel or abusive. The lights were still on, and through the hum of the night, chuckles could be heard from the inside.

They certainly didn't _sound_ concerned that their foster son almost died of pneumonia that afternoon.

He knocked the door and received no answer. After the third round of knocking, it burst open —_** UMA. UMA, UMA, UMA, UMA **_—He resisted the urge to point and stare – _why did Hayato have so much influence on him_ – and looked at the odd girl, who could have been no more than sixteen.

She wore very little clothes, almost like a worker from Hooters, and as far as he could tell, she was hairless from head-to-toe other than the patch of bangs that rested on her crown.

"Yo."

"I...Uh..." G tried hard to keep his composure. "Is your mother home?"

"My name is Shitt P. Call me Shitopi-chan."

"I just...is your mother—"

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm – I'm meditating, mmmm – "

"Shitt P – "

"_Mmmmmmmmmmmm_ – "

"Shitopi-chan, is your mother home – ?"

"Why yes! Would you like to speak to her, kind stranger?"

It was a wonder how Enma didn't go crazy living with someone like her. G's mouth fell open as he registered the fact she was singing a variation of the Numa Numa Dance, and carefully he managed to nod. Shitt P pulled him in faster than he could blink, and the door slammed behind them.

The house was bigger than it looked on the inside. Unlike the loft apartment shared by G and Asari, it seemed homey. Stairs stood directly in front of G, and the living room was filled with pictures. None of Enma.

"MAMA, PAPA! THIS KIND STRANGER WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU!"

Apparently they were still up. G clasped his hands on his ears and made sure his body was still intact. He wasn't sure if he could handle Shitt P yanking him in any more places than the door. Finally she released him and danced off in her own little world.

"Idjit. Kikyo, come back to beddd."

"Shitopi-chan has called. We have to go answer, you buffoon."

"God dammit."

G's lips contorted into a frown. The voices were..._manly_. A sickening thought came to mind, and he groaned inwardly just a little bit. _Is everyone on this damn planet a homosexual?_ One good fuck. All he needed was one good fuck with a woman, and he could reassure himself that no, he wasn't crazy. Everyone else was.

Two men waltzed down the stairs, one in his boxers and the other politely dressed in a bathrobe. The redhead's lips twitched slightly, and his hand went for the lighter tucked in his pocket.

"Oho?" The one in the bathrobe spoke first. "Could this possibly be Cozart? I'm sorry to say, but you're a little late. We've shipped him off already."

_Right_. Without a doubt, G knew he disliked the two. The one with a bathrobe made his stomach lurch. He took him for a transvestite or crossdresser; with his long tea green hair (G preferred Budweiser) and pasty eye shadow not even Bianchi would have bought, and took the other as a sleezy douchebag. Greasy red hair and five o'clock shadow. Ick.

"Cozart died of leukemia three years ago."

"Ah!" The one with greasy hair arched an eyebrow. "The dipshit with the hat?"

"Yes, Zakuro. The dipshit with the hat."

"Let me explain." G gestured to what he assumed was the dining room and followed the couple to the table. They sat parallel from each other and he kept a cautious eye. For one, he inwardly grimaced, he didn't need to see the outline of the greasy guy's dick in his boxers. "I've come to ask some questions about Enma. My name is G."

"I am Kikyo, and he is Zakuro. Enma has been a wonderful addition to this family." Immediately, the challenge was recognized in the feminine-looking one. Zakuro followed in suit, and Kikyo sat well in his seat. "What is it, G?"

"I'm sure you know he was admitted into the hospital today." He made sure to keep his guard up without giving away his own tension. In the room next to them, it was apparent that a laugh track was going on every five seconds. _Ahaha!_ "Enma was diagnosed with pneumonia and vocal cord nodules. He's unable to speak."

"The poor idjit." Zakuro rested an arm behind his chair.

Almost on instinct, G pulled out a cigarette along with his lighter before pausing. Kikyo noticed. "You smoke? That isn't healthy for Enma-kun's sake."

Huh. "It's a bad habit. Good stress reliever. I guess I'll get to the point. Why weren't you there?" _Ahaha! _

"How would we know?" Kikyo was dancing around his question, provoking him even.

"They called his immediate family, and Tsuna says he lives in a foster home." Having a sixteen-year-old boy probably wasn't his best source. "He claims that Enma was kicked out."

"Ah, the Sawada kid." Zakuro's grin reminded G of a T-Rex. He leaned over the table, one elbow propped on the surface, and his eyes narrowed. "And what are you to Enma, G? His teacher? Don't look like any we've seen. Shitopi says you're a 'kind stranger.' You his brother? Obviously not—"

"I'm—"

"You that idjit's lover? Bah, these days 'round the world you can get sued for fucking a minor—"

"Fuck you." The words rolled off G's tongue with ease. As he realized his patience was wearing thin, the adult regained his stature and looked to Kikyo, who sat silently with a mocking smile that reminded him vaguely of Daemon's. "I can assure you I know very well the history of Enma Shimon. I simply want to know why. How did he end up here?"

Zakuro snorted. "Damn this shit. I'd have rather stayed in bed." _Ahaha!_

"You'll be sleeping on your hand, dear, if you don't shut up." Kikyo was apparently Mama. He looked back to G, and the redhead grimaced. This was a bad idea. "Enma is a mistake."

"Enma was an _accident._"

"No, no." Kikyo, like his lover, leaned forward with such a disturbing smile that G wanted to knock his teeth in. "To quote Roberto-san, it's easy to say that he is, _indeed_, a mistake. You seem like a man who knows business. Roberto-san hired us to take care of Enma. Obviously manslaughter was out of the question – especially taking into consideration his family history of dukes and landlords. It would give Shimon a bad name, if found out."

"They could have hired the mafia." Thank the lord they didn't. _Ahaha!_

"I'd rather not get into detail about the Italian mafia." Kikyo gave him a look, pompous and uncaring, and continued. "The idiot, Cozart dropped him off and dearest Adelheid took him here. We may have had custody of him, but we never considered him our child. Which was the plan."

"Excuse me?"

"Treat him like shit." Zakuro took over, legs swinging over and meeting G's face. The way things were going, G was ready to set the house on fire. "Roberto ordered it. He was used to the spoiled life – didn't get it here. That kid gets the crumbs and hand-me-downs. He doesn't get squat unless he earns it for himself, and we make sure he has no backbone."

"That isn't good for child development." _Ahaha!_

"Who gives a fuck about his child development?" Zakuro stood up, idly turning around and giving G a rather obnoxious view of his butt crack. He scratched a cheek before getting a beer and sitting back down with a thump. "Roberto didn't, we didn't. We get paid by him to make sure he knows little – fuck, we get _paid_ to make sure his development is fucked up. Destroyed his confidence. Made sure he knew he shouldn't speak, even when spoken to."

The irritation bubbling in G's stomach became almost unbearable. He opened his mouth to speak, but—

"You don't get it." The greasy redhead smirked, hand running back and forth on what G hoped was Kikyo's thigh, before taking a good swig of his beer. Budweiser. "Roberto contacted us a few years later – undoubtedly when Cozart was to inherit the company. He _told_ us to treat his second son like a bitch. All he needed was that ring. Now that that idjit's lost it – no ring, no place to live."

_Stay calm._ G's hands twitched for his lighter. He turned his head to Kikyo, mouth tight.

"What he said." Kikyo nodded curtly, eyes sly.

"So what is he to you?" Hysterical laughter hid behind the half-naked adult's words, and his eyes narrowed impractically to the other redhead. "Your brother? Friend? Lover, did I say? Does that bitch moan when you shove it up his a—"

A sickening _**CRACK**_echoed through the entire house. Whether it was Zakuro's nose or G's hand when the redhead punched him was debatable. Ahaha.

OoOoO

"I'm not speaking to him right now." Pause. "Who the fuck _cares_ what you say? You dumbass – you owe me some be— hey!" Hayato hissed, hands choking the receiver of his phone. That. Fucking. Arrogant. Little...tall. Drunkard. Bastard...! Without another word, the teenager threw his phone against the wall and cursed for buying the unbreakable phone case. Text books flew everywhere from his fury, and finally he collapsed back on the couch, stressed.

Fine.

No Sawada, no Yamamoto – _no Haru._ No G, no Giotto-san, no...anyone. Not even Bianchi, who was off somewhere in France again learning some stupid gourmet cooking techniques.

At the thought of his sister, Hayato shivered and hugged himself. As he gathered his sanity, he collected what he'd dropped and sluggishly tossed them as a pile on the coffee table before grabbing a can of beer from his fridge .

He'd been lonely.

Hayato swallowed half his can, and the buzz of Budweiser was satisfying. He stayed cocooned at his house for the better part of the weekend – along with today. If G wasn't going to be home to check on him, then why bother going to school?

From what he'd been told, Sawada had been missing since Saturday. The little runt went back to his hometown, worried for the well-being of that Kozato kid.

At the mention of the redhead just like his sister, Hayato shivered and hiked the collar of his shirt.

Enma. He stuck by what he said – calling _that_ runt tiny, frail, and insignificant. With no doubt, the brat had a mouth on him that could sink battleships. He felt sorry for the small teenager, in truth. Pneumonia ranged from as small as a cold or as deadly as... _As cancer._

When first told Sawada was missing, Hayato was disbelieving. The hotheaded teenager remembered specifically – _ on the night that shall not be named_ – dropping the brunet off at his house before retreating to his own apartment, pride wounded and anger blazing in his chest. But the kid had guts. _Granted_, if Hayato had the chance to run away, he would have. But it wouldn't have been as important.

The Tenth ran away to help a friend in need. For Hayato to run away...would be running away from his problems.

At umpteenth mention, Hayato slouched on the couch. He buried his face in an armrest. It wouldn't have been the first sissy-time he ran away. He couldn't fucking help it, _alright_? Dealing with Yamamoto and Sawada made his head hurt. Dealing with Mochida made his heart wre—

His broken phone rang. Hayato cursed the case brand, and the familiar ring tone of _Take Me Out to the Ball Game_ echoed through his apartment. He hesitated, hands tightly wound on his ankles to prevent himself from getting up, and waited. It rung anyway.

_Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,  
I don't care if I never get back.  
Let me root, root, root for the home team,  
If they don't win, it's a sh—_

"Fuck this!" The poor teenager ran for his phone and nearly rammed it in his ear. "What the fuck do you want, you baseball playing, no-good idiot son of a—!"

"_Gokudera_?" Yamamoto's soft voice distilled his anger. Tension that once contorted his face now loosened, and he found it hard to keep a scowl compared to the soft tone of his best friend.

"Y...Yamamoto." Stupid. Find your voice. Don't let him make a fool out of you; you're not a fucking pansy, and that idiot doesn't have control over you.

"_Is there any word from Tsuna?"_

You could say no. If you said no, you could say you'd let him know. And if you said you'd let him know, he would call you. You would get Yamamoto all to yourself, and Mochida would be shit. "Yeah. G says Tsuna went to Shimon to check up on Kozato. The kid's got pneumonia."

"_Ah, haha. That explains it._" The baseball player's laugh was absolutely empty. What was it for, Hayato wanted to ask. Was Yamamoto distraught because Tsuna had run away...or because they truly hadn't had a conversation in five days?

Stop being queer. You're better than that fag. _You_ have power over him, and that's how it always should have been. **Not the other way around.** You're mad at him. He's a douchebag, such a _faggot_ and homos scare the crap out of you. **Especially your own best friend.**

"_Gokudera_?"

"Ah...ha?" The silver-haired teenager snapped out of his thoughts. From the corner of his eyes, the color of the hand gripping his phone was a sickening white. His ears were burning, and the surface of his cheeks radiated with heat.

"_I said, 'Do you know when they're coming back'?_"

"I—uh." Dammit. Green orbs looked around nervously as he tried to control the beating of his own heart. "Kozato has to go through surgery, too. I think they're planning to stay until he's positively better. The kid didn't look all that healthy when we saw him last week."

He could imagine it. Fortunately for him, G was one who never withheld gruesome information. Kozato most likely looked frailer; weaker. He was skin and bones as is, always looking to the ground. To be admitted to the hospital for pneumonia could have resulted in death.

"_The poor kid..._"

"Yeah." Then again, he was also a total moe douchebag who managed to have his way with Yamamoto and tried very hard to convince him that they belonged together. Hayato was torn between an annoying little voice in his head and a frail kid that looked like a corpse.

"_Well, I'm gonna—" _

"Wait!" He was trembling. Hayato put his hand to the ground just in time to see his hand shaking like the rest of his body. But he wanted it. Heat raised to his cheeks and he hunched his shoulders. _God_, when did he become such a pansy? Why was his voice wavering, and why couldn't he _find it_? "Do...do you want to come over?"

Yamamoto was silenced.

"It's not a date!" God, where was a beer when he needed one? _On the other side of the room._ Hayato could barely hear anything above the beating of his heart, and he wished to strangle it. "Just...come over. Bring some sushi."

"_Uh, on a school night_?"

"To hell with 'a school night!' You think I give two-shits?" At that, Hayato jumped to his feet and staggered toward his fridge. "Come over, you ball-less piece of—"

"_Okay_." The phone went dead. He fidgeted, eyes on the home screen. God, what did he just _do_?

Ten minutes later found Hayato pacing back and forth with a beer in hand ("Is it smart to be drinking when that idiot is coming over? ...b-bah to hell with it!"). All the possibilities showed themselves in his mind, and he was at a loss. What if Yamamoto was still mad at him? Normally the idiot caved a few minutes after their fight and they would have it Hayato's way. As far as the silver-haired teenager could tell, nothing was going his way this time.

Haru broke up with him, the Tenth was off somewhere in Shimon with his ex-brother-in-law and idol, and Yamamoto...Hayato bit his lip. Yamamoto was –

A knock brought him out of his thoughts. He hesitated for what seemed like an eternity. If he didn't answer, Yamamoto would walk way. He could have his apartment to himself, and so long as his guardian was elsewhere, he couldn't get in trouble for staying home.

But the thought of his best friend – _his first friend when Bianchi and he moved to Namimori **– **_made him want to die.

"Dammit," he muttered. The teenager gathered himself, fluster becoming a second nature to him as he came face-to-face with the tall idiot at his door. Brown eyes met his gaze, albeit guilty. Looking at Yamamoto was like getting the wind knocked out of him. Yamamoto was tall and lean. Every single little detail of his best friend came to mind; everything he learned since their meeting.

Yamamoto liked sushi. He liked milk. He loved the rain as much as Hayato had a fetish for storms, and a glimmer would appear in his eyes as he played baseball or danced with his swords. The last image mixed with the pit of Hayato's stomach, and he shivered.

"You're still mad at you, aren't you?" Yamamoto's voice was ridden with guilt. Fuck, he didn't even _do _anything! "I brought some sushi. And your favorite movies..."

Rush Hours 1, 2, and 3.

"You have got to be – " If Hayato was a hugger, he would have tackled Yamamoto to the ground and kissed him senseless. "I haven't even _seen_ the third one yet!" Restraining himself from acting like an overexcited little kid, Hayato stood at the tips of his toes and gripped his best friend's wrist. "You have to put it in. If we don't put it in, it'll drive me _crazy!_"

And the way he was acting was totally uncool. Hayato froze, suddenly aware that he really _was_ acting like an overexcited little kid. He'd always prided himself on his maturity and self-control, and to lose it in front of Yamamoto was absolutely _embarrassing._

"We can watch it then." However, Yamamoto didn't laugh like he normally did. A chuckle didn't escape his lips, and he didn't praise the other teenager for being cute. Hayato curled his toes, grounding himself, and nodded. "Do you think you could help me with Reborn-sensei's homework?"

Yamamoto was guarding himself. He was preparing for every single one of Hayato's reactions – bad or good – and was being cautious to provoke him. Hayato's hands twitched as he realized he'd touched his best friend from excitement, and nodded slowly. "Yeah."

The opening previews went by with enthusiasm that each boy lacked. Hayato sat on his couch while Yamamoto sat near his coffee table, and they ate sushi in silence. Occasionally, Hayato would catch the taller teenager check his phone, but other than that he wouldn't look at him.

Finally halfway through, Yamamoto finished his sushi. He reached for his text book and turned around. Brown eyes met emerald green, cautious as ever. "Alright, so I think I sort of understand Reborn-sensei's work, but how do you convert revolutions into – "

"I'm sorry." The words escaped Hayato's lips before he had a chance to collect his thoughts. Despite the fact his face now glowed red, he was willing to admit that there was no regret. This had gone long enough, albeit even with his pride on the line. Yamamoto blinked, as if this was the first time Hayato was apologizing. Thinking back, there were very few times he _had_ apologized.

"Gokudera – "

"Dammit, I'm sorry, okay?" The teenager hissed, eyes narrowed. His body shook yet again, and he looked to the floor. "I've...given you so much shit these past few months, and when I finally accept the fact that my best friend is a queer, I never really accepted it. I don't...want to lose your friendship."

"Gokudera..." Yamamoto paused, waiting for the teenager to finish. "...I'm sorry I fell in love with you."

Uh, that was bold. Hayato turned his head. He buried his head in the armrest, face heating up again. Why was his body reacting like this? "Do you regret telling me how you felt?"

"No." Don't look at his face. No matter what, don't look at his face, or the way his lips curl whenever he smiles. The mirth was apparent in Yamamoto's voice, almost wistful. Hayato thought back to the day where it happened; where all of it went wrong. Even then, Yamamoto held one of his smiles, but it was different. Loving. Protecting. "I think it's an honor."

"An honor, my ass." Hayato turned around, finally coming face-to-face with his best friend, and found him looking back. The teenager's heart ached, and the tenderness that passed through the taller's eyes was almost unbearable.

"Not very many people get to say they fell in love with their best friend." Yamamoto smiled dearly. "I get to. But because I fell in love with my best friend – a boy, who was most likely straight – there isn't much chance for me. Haha..."

It made Hayato guilty. Like, _why the fuck can't I just be gay for him_? He shoved the thought away and curled his fingers. "We could have avoided all of this if you didn't tell me."

"We could have," Yamamoto agreed. "But then for the rest of my life, I would be hiding who I really was from my best friend."

Oh. The silver-haired teenager closed his eyes. In the background, gunshots from Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan were well heard, mixed with shouted Chinese and English. Yamamoto thought of his well-being. He thought of _everyone's_ well-being.

"I..." Hayato said, voice raspy. His thoughts were lost again. "Haru and I broke up."

The baseball player blinked. "Really?"

"Yeah—I'm going to get some beer." Why did he said that? _Why_ would Yamamoto care? Hayato turned away from his best friend and inched toward the fridge without looking back. All he had was two of a six-pack of beer and milk, which he always kept just in case Yamamoto would be coming over.

Dammit, what was wrong with him?

He took a swig of beer, damning the toleration that kept him sober, and grabbed the carton. By the time he collected the rest of his thoughts, Yamamoto was asleep. Emerald orbs eyed his best friend, who indeed was slouching against the couch, eyes closed.

Worrying about Tsuna, most likely. Had there not been enough stress on Hayato's mind, he would have been as exhausted as Yamamoto was. Pneumonia was no joke, and it obviously was enough to mess with the brunet's mind if he ran away from home. Who knew he had the balls for it.

"Damn you, Yamamoto," Hayato muttered softly. Damn the idiot for making him feel like a dick. He fell to his knees and crawled the rest of the way to his best friend. Exhausted from school, baseball, and a friend that'd run away two days ago. _And because his jackass of a best friend is a jackass._

In truth, Yamamoto looked exhausted. The scent of sushi was strong on him, even for Yamamoto. He just got off from work. Hayato curled his fingers, hand brushing hair away from the other teenager's face. Just like charcoal.

He looked like a little kid when he was asleep. And smiled, too. Good. It suited him.

Hayato tugged on a loose end of hair. He waited, breath heavy, and his heart fluttered when Yamamoto didn't move. His fingers played with the ends of the other's hair and...the shorter teenager caught his breath, slowly – tentatively – leaning forward as an act of God before their lips met.

The hothead kissed his best friend.

The warmth was riveting; slow and gentle. It lasted maybe five seconds at most, and heat stained his lips once Hayato released. Opening his eyes, the teenager found himself face-to-face with his best friend, who was still asleep.

Lucky bastard.

Reluctantly scooting away, green eyes examined the tall teenager from top to bottom. Only moments later, the smile he'd been resisting danced across his face. Hayato's heart fluttered. _Now that wasn't bad, was it_?

Not at all. Given a little time... Hayato nervously played with a loose string on his pants. "Someday...we'll figure this out."

Suddenly the shy grin left his face. Hayato screamed at the top of his lungs, apartment vibrating as Yamamoto woke from his slumber, alarmed.

"_OH MY FUCKING GOD."_

"G-Gokudera! What's wrong?"

Of all people, he was falling for Takeshi Yamamoto.

OoOoO

The week for Enma wasn't what he would have called typical, but it wasn't surprising, either. The past three years he had been very cautious. Adelheid and the others were growing restless, almost never letting him leave their sight, and he had been right. They wanted Big Brother's ring.

He'd given it to Tsuna for safekeeping because out of anyone, the brunet valued their friendship more than the price of some silly ring. Obviously, the redhead knew the consequences. He didn't expect to get kicked out of the house – or to fall sick. At first he'd lost his voice for some odd reason, and then pneumonia. His body burst with heat, but he ignored it.

Enma went to school, did his work, and found a new place to stay every day. Longchamp was somewhere out of the country (_again_) and he often found himself sleeping in piles of leaves or dirt. Caught up in the cold, it was no wonder he would have gotten sick. The old lady at his job pitied him, offering to take him up, but it was like every other adult in his life. _I can't._

To Tsuna's own mother, even. He couldn't leave the Suzuki Residence, no matter how badly he wanted to. The more he worked, the easier it was forgetting how Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama were acting. Then one day Tsuna came by, snatching him up and it was like a dream.

It still felt like a dream. An odd dream, but not a bad one. So much had happened in the past two days after a long week of trials and struggles. As far as Enma knew, he'd been sick and retching, dragged to an abandoned subway station, then taken to the hospital. The clipboard at the foot of his bed read _Enma Shimon_, just like when he was admitted for Appendicitis years ago.

Tsuna came through for him. And...would be leaving soon.

Early morning wood was something easily fixed with a cold shower. Enma woke up the next day to find himself without the oxygen mask and breathing finely. His mind was fuzzy, wearing off from the medicine hours earlier when the nurse checked upon him. As far as he could tell, he had been picked and probed.

He shifted his legs, pink dancing across his face at the tension between his thighs and thought it better to get some sleep.

"You're awake." Or not.

The hair on the back on his neck stood high, and Enma felt thankful he was under three blankets. The pink of his cheeks soon bloomed red, and he peered up to the face that made him faint yesterday.

G's face was grim, eyes narrowed, and a fresh cast stood out on one of the adult's hands.

Enma fidgeted again in bed to sit up. He looked around, confused, and checked the clock. The morning was only a minute shy of 7:30AM. He looked around yet again, and pointed to the glass door. Visiting hours weren't until eight.

"I, uh." G grimaced. "I broke my hand punching someone in the face."

He blinked. There were many things the redhead had come to expect nowadays. Having G-san at his bedside telling him he punched someone in the face would not be one of them.

"We both came to the hospital – Tsuna and Giotto will be here in a bit. If he can drag Giotto out of bed, that is." G leaned forward onto Enma's bed, and the younger instinctively scooted away. _Think boring thoughts_, he told himself. "I came here to talk to you as...Enma Shimon."

Hard-on was gone. Enma curled his hands in his blankets and tilted his head with curiosity. He pointed to his mouth, opening it only slightly and mouthed, "I can't speak."

"That's fine. You sit, I'll speak." G smiled broadly; heavenly and strong to the point Enma could feel his heart racing. His head was still light and he lay back down promptly as the adult decided to tuck him in. "It's about your brother, Cozart."

They knew about Cozart?

"Strange, how everything works out." The adult's tone was funny. His eyes became faraway and distant, and seemed to have trouble reeling himself back in. "Cozart was a dear friend of mine and Giotto – but we met him after what happened."

What happened? Wh-What happened with big brother?

"We never knew he had a brother." G-san's eyes narrowed carefully, and his smile dropped to seriousness. "The Shimon has a cruel system that they've been following for centuries, and I'm sorry to say that you got wrapped up in it, Enma."

Oh. Enma shook his head. _It's fine._

"You shouldn't have to endure this." The elder man sat back in his seat. "Especially with Cozart's death a few years ag—why are you looking at me like that?"

What?

Cozart's death? He...died? Wh-When did he die? How did that happen? Why didn't anyone tell him? Is that why Adelheid and the others were trying to get his ring, more than ever? Did _they_ know about his death?

It took him a moment to realize he was furiously shaking. His entire body went into shock, eyes left wide, and warm wetness streaked down his face. W-Was he c-crying?

G stood up, obviously taken off guard. He must have expected him to already know. A broad hand touched the teenager's shoulder and tightly squeezed it, but the look on his face showed he wasn't sure of what to do. Tsuna rarely cried as is – and G didn't seem like the type who empathized well.

"Cozart was diagnosed with leukemia when he was twenty," muttered the adult steadily. "He died three years ago when he was twenty-two. I-I'm sorry, Enma, I thought...you knew..._shit._"

Enma jerked away. His mind went into shock. For years he had been thinking of his brother; of how Cozart promised one day he would come to pick him up, and he trusted his brother because of the ring. Th...the ring was a family heirloom, a-and Cozart didn't go anywhere without it. A-And – what was the point then, l-living? Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama still had custody over him, and... a-all these years, h-he could have...

He couldn't breathe. The scent of death was fresh to his nostrils, his late brother coming to mind again. _Will you come back for me when I'm done playing with Tsuna? _

_Of course I will, Piccolino._

Piccolino. He hadn't been called that since he was four. Tsuna and his mother could have had custody of him all those years ago, or the old lady at his job, o-or...

"Breathe," G pleaded. "You're going to hyperventilate if you don't, and then you'll pass out. Enma – you're already at the hospital, don't – don't make it worse."

Through his haze, Enma could hear the door silently creak open. He looked up, gasping for air and he took note of Doctor Nowaki, who immediately dropped his professional demeanor and approached the other adult.

"Does something hurt?" The doctor's voice was gentle and concerning. Enma shook him off. He couldn't feel the world. "Sir, did you stress out Enma-san?"

"I – I didn't mean to – "

"Enma-san, it's alright." Doctor Nowaki put a hand on his back again, tenderly soothing the boy. "Look at me. Can you tell me what color my eyes are? Shh, shh. Tell me – what color are my eyes?"

"B..." _Blue._ His throat was still hoarse, and it hurt to speak. He gasped for air.

"Blue? Were you going to say blue?"

Enma nodded.

"Alright. Now what color is... "

"G," G-san quipped.

"Ah. What color are G-san's eyes, Enma-san?"

Enma found his breath slowing as he looked through his tears. Nowaki's smile was soft and tender, but also very worrying. He looked over to G, face red and swollen from tears, and managed to breath through his dizziness. "R-R..." _Red._

"Red? Were you going to say red?"

He nodded again.

"What color is G-san's hair?"

The redhead took a good look at it, focus fighting his tears. His heart shriveled, and a headache took the place of his worry, but he finally got a good look. "P..." _Pink._

"Pink?" Apparently that'd taken G-san off guard. The adult's face contorted, surprised, and he ran a hand through his hair. "You're the first person to call it pink."

To that thought, the teenager felt his face radiate with heat, this time from embarrassment rather than his own panic. Doctor Nowaki chuckled softly and ruffled a hand through tangled red hair. "Do you feel better?"

That he did. Enma's throat was hoarse, tears slowing in pace as they cascaded down his face. He caught his breath, lungs suddenly hollow, and ignorantly grabbed a hand to keep himself grounded before nodding.

"Why did you ask that?" G turned his attention away as Doctor Nowaki gave Enma a tissue box.

"He was going into shock. Patients such as Enma-san, whose breathing is weakened by pneumonia may end up fainting." The taller adult smiled gingerly as he concluded Enma was okay and turned his full attention to G. "But if you get them to focus on something else, it helps them through before they make their condition worse."

"I see." The redheaded adult nodded understandingly. "That makes sense."

Doctor Nowaki laughed softly and turned back to Enma with a sweet smile. "Alright. Now that you're fully awake, I guess it's time to tell you the game plan—"

"There he is!" The door burst open. Enma jumped, grip tightening over the hand he'd grabbed. He hugged it tightly like a young child just as Zakuro-papa appeared with Kikyo-mama on his trail.

Followed by Rauji, Koyo, and Adelheid.

"Father," Adelheid spoke first. "You should be in bed."

It was now that Enma realized he was gripping G's arm tightly – his casted arm – , but G showed no intention of letting him go. Doctor Nowaki, oblivious, frowned slightly. "Zakuro-san, as your daughter said, you should be in bed next door."

Enma looked up to his foster father, confused. It was then he realized that his foster parent's nose was in a cast just like G's arm. A bruised eye decorated his face, and gaps appeared where his front teeth would be. G, too, had a bruise here and there, but appeared fine.

"Give it a rest, dear." Kikyo-mama arched an eyebrow, obviously not amused.

_You punched my **father**_**? **Enma wanted to say. He would have, had it not been for his voice. Zakuro-papa looked furious.

On instinct, he yanked G's arm and the adult offered a sheepish shrug. "He had it coming."

"Ah!" Suddenly, Doctor Nowaki reappeared, clipboard in hand. A smile worked its way across his face, albeit tense, and he looked to Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama. "It shows that you are the immediate family of Enma-san. Now that you're all here, I'll tell you what the game plan is."

Zakuro-papa sneered, but like he did with all the adults in Enma's life, he repaired himself, appearing professional despite the fact he was dressed in a hospital gown and his permanent stubble. Kikyo-mama took control. "And that is?"

"Enma-san has a vocal cord nodule." Before Kikyo-mama or Zakuro-papa could put a word in, Doctor Nowaki continued. "He must have surgery to get it removed. Once we are sure that he is completely cured of the pneumonia, we'll begin the procedure. The estimated time would be in two or three days, depending on his health."

Zakuro-papa grimaced. "And if he doesn't get the surgery?"

"He will risk permanent damage to his vocal cords and become a Mute for the rest of his life." Doctor Nowaki nodded his head to Enma. The door crept open again, just as the tall adult continued his conversation. Tsuna and Giotto. The moment his best friend registered the situation, he paled. "Under your consent, the surgery will be – "

"Consent?'' Kikyo-mama was first to speak. "Who said anything about consent?"

"Why," Doctor Nowaki blinked. Giotto and Tsuna slipped away until they were next to G and Enma. "His guardian over there...G-san gave his consent."

"What's going on?" Giotto asked. G promptly ignored him. The grip on Enma's hand hadn't loosened, possibly having gotten tighter.

"G?" Kikyo-mama raised his head. "The man over there is not in custody of Enma. He has no legal attachment to him."

"I'm..." Certainly Doctor Nowaki looked confused. "I apologize. I simply assumed...he's been here since the doctors put the cast on his hand."

"Do you think we can afford a surgery for any of them right now, idjit?" Zakuro-papa arched an eyebrow, unamused. His voice came out nasally and almost inaudible, and it was obvious he was breathing through his mouth. "We have six other kids to feed – and are still paying back the bank for his appendicitis."

"Then we'll pay for it." Enma cocked his head to Giotto just as Giotto did, and the teenagers shared looks. Giotto offered a casual smile.

G squeezed the redhead's hand tenderly. "Vongola Inc. has enough money to pay for his stay in the hospital _and_ his appendicitis."

By the simple name, both foster parents and their foster children gave matching sneers. Vongola was a poison to them. Enma ducked his head, and he felt Tsuna embrace him from the other side.

"You don't have legal custody of him," Kikyo-mama said simply. "We refuse."

"I _will_ have legal custody of him." _What_? Enma cocked his head with confusion. "There's no reason for him to stay in Shimon, and we can nurture him. Doctor, obviously Enma has failed to get the nutrition he needs at his age. We can provide him with the necessities he needs."

"You're questioning my authority as a parent?" Kikyo-mama was not amused.

G scowled ferociously, eyes flickering like a typhoon. "I'm questioning your authority as a human being."

"Hot damn," Giotto muttered.

"I..." The poor doctor was caught in the middle. "Until this is the settled, the surgery cannot go underway..."

"We'll settle this in court." G was furious.

Kikyo-mama viciously glowered. His eyes narrowed, and Enma felt his heart beat quicken under his other foster father's gaze. "Enma? Do you really want this?"

"Please," Tsuna whispered in his ear. "Enma, please let G take care of you..."

His world was spinning. Wh-What was he to do? He could stay...with Kikyo-mama and Zakuro-papa, but with Big Brother gone, th-there was no one to wait for. He had nothing to come back to, or the hopes of seeing his biological parents ever again.

But G and Giotto-san knew his family. They knew everything about Cozart, and the look in G's eyes had been of tragic nostalgia. He...could go with them; have a new life. _He could be with Tsuna._

"Y..." _Yeah._

**Author's Note: **

I think it's safe to say that this is my Christmas update. xD Not gonna lie; this chapter was a struggle to write. Before I forget, I think I'll put it out now: I'm...kinda really tired. Like, stressed. I had the idea to write this, and I put time to write this, but it took me three days. I think I'm going to take a week's break before I update again. AKA, next week. I might do a New Year's update, but you have no clue; I'm really tired. o.O My idea of relaxing is...making another story. So you'll either get one of those (G x Cozart, Cozart x Giotto, G27, 2700, 8059, etc. I have a lot of ideas. :D) or I'll seriously just be taking a break. C':

The three Italian phrases spoken: _Mi diaspace _(I'm sorry), _Sogni dolci _(Sweet dreams)_, Piccolino _(Little one). I meant to say that the Ring thing was supposed to be mentioned about for chapters earlier, but I forgot. xD And...questions! :D

**How did you come up with the title to your story? **

Ah. To be honest? Erm, I was just listening to songs, and the one I was listening to is BAM by Miranda Cosgrove. One of the lines was Make My Whole World Just Explode, and I was like, "Eh, I'll use it." Now I could probably come up with better titles since I didn't really care back then, but...I don't care enough for it. The last couple of chapters pay homage to the title. c':

**How are you able to put all bias aside and write in character? **

I guess I just do? xD In truth, Mukuro and Byakuran were the two hardest characters for me to write. I don't really like them much, but like I said, I try really hard to get into the minds of the characters. But even with them I was like, "Suck it up and write, bitch."

**2. Will Gokudera become loyal/friendly with Tsuna or keep his bad attitude?  
**You'll just have to see!~

**3. Though various replies to reviews and ANs I noticed you read few KHR fanfiction, would you, please, kindly suggest some good ones to us? As it is quite difficult to find some good long ones among the one-shots, discontinueds etc.  
**Uh, hum. A lot of the mainstream writers for KHR read this story (I think, anyway), so I dunno if I can answer this question without offending someone if their story isn't on my rec list. I guess I'll give it a shot. C:

(THIS IS IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER, AND PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT I DON'T READ A LOT OF KHR STORIES. SO DON'T GET UPSET IF YOUR STORY ISN'T ON HERE.)

_LostKey's _**Present in the Past (G27), **_Metamorcy's _**The Forgotten Time (R27), **_UniversalOverlordess's _**The Diamond in the Midden (Bel x Fran), **_.x's _**The Lost Memories of a Past Life (R27). **_MeLoNnAiSE's _**His Royal Highness Owns a Frog (Bel x Fran)**

Please understand that... I actually don't pay attention to authors when I read a story. In truth with UniversalOverlordess...I didn't realize until just then when I put that rec list out that she was the author. xD Anyway...any recs for me? :) Songs, stories. I'd love to know what you guys listen to whenever you think of my story. Merry Christmas!


	19. stories and coffee

**Plushiepaw **In truth, it's always so unintentional, but in this story I think it's gotten to the point the characters are so casual that the sex doesn't matter anymore. xD Er, Sex = gender. Just saying. **Lireach **I hate it. I hate it so, so much – I write this of all things when I'm bored; and I can't help it. The first thoughht in my head is: I'm bored. Maybe I should write more G27. And it's my avvie; I found it on LJ. C: **BLANKNAME **You don't have a name. D: And, no, no rape. The more angsty this story gets, the more bored I am. So I wouldn't be able to handle rape. **Fire Princess 21 **I dunno, actually. I still haven't found out. xD I try to relate it to the manga if I like that concept. So of course, you can tell that I like a lot of the concept. C: **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Yuppers. :) **xRynnX **I never payed attention to them, actually. xD So they kinda...turned out like that. And I'd love to hear what you think. It makes me happy. C: **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **You see, I think everyone forgets that G lives with Asari Ugetsu. xD Which is pretty hilarious. I'm still on "First Dance" by NeverShoutNever! And their chorus would be my favorite. C: **deaththekidluver08 **Aw, that's so sweet! Thank you so much. And no, I'm not a god in disguise, because I'm a girl. :D and Asian. So I'm an Asian Girl in disguise. **Kanberry **It's so in character though, right? xD **Suzuru Seiyo **Haha. xD And no – she's not. But I gave her the name "Celeste" since it means sky, and Giotto's attribute is sky. I hope it fits. **FithDayOfMay **Haha! That's one way to put it. **Breathless02 **I've had that moment planned for two weeks, I think. xD The entire time the song "May I" was stuck in my head and I was really happy about the way it turned out. :) **xryuchan27 **WOO. ANOTHER ONE CONVERTED. I dunno how; the pairing's pretty darn crack and they're pretty out of character xD **Gin Nanashi **I love the Rush Hour movies; I think it's something where Yama would show Goku, Goku would go "WHAT IS THIS SHIT, TAKE IT OUT!" and then get really into the movie. xD G and Gokudera's relationship is pretty fun to write. I love them together. And thanks, you AWE-MAZING (I combineded them :D) reader. **Mel-Chama **Why does everyone assume Enma's gonna go off with G? xD (cough) **The RPers HELL group. **YAY I MADE SOMEONE CRY. And, AW, I MADE YOU CRY? D: **ToniChanLovesCookies **I know of Evanescence. She's a sweet singer, I just don't listen to her a lot. :) And that's good. I really do like the pace set out for all of 'em. C: **pamellka **

"Cozart, you taste really good."

"Giotto, you're a mess!"

"Well, it's your fault for smearing it over my face."

"I wouldn't have had to smear it over your face if you weren't crying, love."

"I wasn't crying. And it really hurt."

"That's what you get for eating me!"

"You ate me up, first! You still have it all over your mouth! And you're drooling!"

"I don't mean to! It's just _warm_, love."

"Love, why are you looking at me like that?"

"I think you got some in your hair."

"Oh. OW! Ow...ow..."

"I'm sorry – I'll be gentle."

"It's fine. When do you think G's gonna come by?"

"I dunno. But we have a date tonight."

G halted at the door, face pale. He debated entering the kitchen where Cozart was teaching Giotto how to make gingerbread cookies. He opened his mouth to get their attention, when –

"Ohh – _fuck_. C-Cozart!"

...finally, he decided that a date with his best friend could be postponed for a few hours. He needed to buy some mistletoe, anyway.

**R a a I n **Haha. I hate it when that happens. **Yumi-Emiko **Thanks. I think you're one of the only two people to wish me a good break. Merry late Christmas. :) **Rainbowbubble **I love saying that. xD I say "Hot Damn" all the time. Well, in my head. Outside of stories, I really don't like cursing. **Routasu **Nah, I get what you mean. It's actually been so long since I've written Tsuna (with all of the chapters where there's no Tsuna-time at all) that I'm still adjusting to him. So yeah. :) thanks! **Narutopokefan **:) May I poke you? **Happy2Bme **I'm kinda glad you pointed that out. xD Roberto's appearance in the story may or may not be in this story later on. I'm not sure yet. I know Iemitsu, Dino, Celeste, and Mama. Will Roberto? Who knows. **Sender unknown **Haha, I'm not even sure. xD Kikyo is ugly. I think that was my first impression of him. xD **L.L **me too. :) **Chocolate Fax Machine **haha. Enma dominant in a G. x Enma relationship? ...I'mma have to look into that. :D And yeah. Tsuna found out, but he never got the chance to tell Enma. I mean, how do you break it to your best friend about that? C': "For You I Will" is one of my favorite songs. I love it. **Ophianara Blade **Haha. We'll see – I know I want to. And Asari Ugetsu with Enma just sounds so cute. xD **gracefulsunshine **Well like... G broke his nose. xD I figure that'd be logical enough to say he broke his hand. And, well. I'm sixteen and I've never had alcohol. I just know Budweiser is a beer brand. xD I kinad just snuck Arcobaleno in as a hotel chain. **Copycat-capycot **WHY IS IT SO? D8 YOUR REVIEWS ARE NORMALLY MY FAVORITE TO READ. **Sakuramiyuki0 **You can hit themm. :D **abg31 **Nah, I agree with you. It's pretty messed up logic, and I'm trying to get out of the habit of it. As you can see, it didn't work out very well. As for Gokudera, it's been dragging on – his character in general. He and Tsuna were supposed to be good friends a long time ago, but I'm kinda glad. The solid idea came to my head about it, and it should come up in maybe two chapters? Depending on how long it drags on. And, you never know. :) I do love all my readers. **Eyes17k **Aw, thanks. And redheads are always the best. :) **Seriyuu **I dunno. I'm pretty tired and this story shouldn't really be my first priority. I'm debating on putting it on hiatus. **Missjinks **Aw, thank you very much. And yeah, Gokudera needed to be squeezed in there. :) And yeah, Alaude knows Tsuna's birthday, but I do believe with all the angry sex they have, they get a good enough revenge on each other. xD Ooh, kitkat. :D **LuckyStarWitch **I love how everyone refers to him as Gaspare now. It's pretty funny. xD And since most of your questions relate to the story...I really can't put an explanation for you and not in the story, so you'll be curious for a while. However – yeah. One of my old styles of writing was putting different pieces, which I agree can be annoying. You struck my ego a bit (but don't worry, I'm not mad. It's a good thing that'll help me in the future), but I agree with your criticisms. It'll still have different passages; mostly because there are certain things at certain times that I want to inform the readers to have and the story tends to drag on a lot. I really do need a break. Hiatus is debatable since I feel like I'm spending too much time on this story when I have a lot of other ideas. :) But eh. How many other people can say that in seven months, they posted over 100K and eighteen chapters?

**chapter nineteen has **stories and coffee

As far as Giotto was concerned, G was acting as leader on his part. Fiery eyes scrutinized the frail little boy sitting in the middle of his hospital bed. With that he withheld a grimace – the thought of a smallkid in a hospital bed smelling like medicines the half-Italian couldn't even _spell_ wasn't his idea of pleasant. He knew G as a man who took pride in what he did. His best friend tolerated very many things – when he didn't, he drank Budweiser, and found toleration for it – but knew when he had to stand up for himself. Giotto always declared that if G could put up with him until they died old, G could have his apartment.

(Usually after that, G would pale at the thought of growing old with Giotto's antics and drown himself at the nearest bar.) _However – _

"Don't you dare speak, or we'll make sure you never get that surgery." The one who looked like a tranny hissed. He glowered deeply, and Giotto found himself leaning closer to G; if not for protection, to protect his best friend.

Enma was moving in the bed. He suddenly looked three times smaller than originally, hospital gown managing to almost come undone and like the good brother he was, Tsuna soothed him, even if little Bite Size continued shaking in fear.

"Threatening him won't help you in court." G sneered and Giotto resisted the natural urge to smile. Alaude made a good lawyer.

"_Enma_," hissed the nasal-y one. "You little – "

"Sir," the doctor interrupted yet again. Giotto looked up, almost an instinct, and remembered how Doctor Nowaki had the air of Asari. "It isn't a smart idea to rouse the patient – especially while he is still recovering from a bad case of pneumonia."

Nasal would have said more, but Tranny stopped him. The green-haired one squeezed Nasal's bicep and smiled cleanly. For a second, Giotto felt a shiver run up his spine – thoughts of..._him_ coming to mind. "We apologize for our behavior. Please excuse us."

"I'll fucking _fax you_ the court date," G hissed. In return, Giotto did the same to G, firmly grabbing hold of his bicep before burying his face in the crook of his best friend's neck.

"Calm down, shut up," he muttered under his breath. The last time he'd seen G this angry..._truly_ the last time, it was against Roberto. His best friend lost himself, but that was just it. G's anger made him think of their days as kids; how he was paranoid and convinced everyone was out to get him.

Tranny crinkled his nose. The look on his face showed, _sick 'em, _but the blond would have guessed that he wanted to keep his poise. Instead, Nasal held up a very special finger, and Giotto nearly wrung G's neck to keep the man at bay.

Nurses were now entering, obviously concerned with Nasal and his nose, but the greasy redhead simply looked to all of them – from Tsuna to Giotto, to G and Enma. "Don't go wild, forcing him to the ground and fu—"

It was where G lunged, Giotto restrained, Tsuna shouted, and Enma nearly lost grasp of the redheaded adult. A whimper escaped the ill teenager's mouth, and an instant before Hurricane Gaspare could terrorize the hospital, he relaxed. Doctor Nowaki, who had been torn between interrupting the conversation and kicking Nasal and Tranny out, immediately came his way, and G melted into the big softie he was, realizing that Enma's face was buried in his messy sleeve, once again cast in the light as a small child.

"E-Enma," Tsuna stammered softly. He pressed a hand to Enma's face, who looked positively pale and afraid. Giotto couldn't blame him. G wasn't exactly known for his moodswings, despite his charge. A rough cough escaped the redhead's lips, and immediately Tsuna was freaking out again. "A-Asthma? I-Is it asthma?"

Doctor Nowaki shook his head, quietly taking note of Giotto's best friend before shooing the poor redhead a foot away. In convenience, an oxygen mask appeared from under the bed, and Enma was quickly hooked up. For a better part before they realized what was going on, nurses yanked the trio out the door, leaving them only to see what was happening on the other side.

Enma was blocked by the doctor. Shit.

Tsuna pressed up against the glass, horror written across his face. His complexion paled until it was completely blue, and Giotto had a feeling he was on a verge of tears.

He'd never seen his brother cry. Not once – not even when he was on Tsuna's case for running away, when he looked positively devastated. The early morning came fluttering to mind, how Giotto had woken up and Tsuna was still asleep. Out of anyone with no doubt, his little brother had it worse. To see his brother sleeping, eyebrows in attempted slumber, he wasn't truly relaxed. Giotto's heart wrenched. He almost didn't wake Tsuna up, so he could get a well deserved rest.

Almost.

And he gravely wanted to talk to him about it, but G, too, was freaking out like there was no tomorrow. He remembered over dinner last night when they discussed plans about Enma – Tsuna's head perked once or twice although they were speaking too fast in different languages – and this was a new development.

"What was that back there?" Giotto wanted to make a joke. His entire body was filled with absolute zen ever since waking up that morning, and for once in the past few days, he hadn't felt hollow. "G – G, put your cigarettes down."

"I...yeah...sorry...Budweiser—_shit._" There was more than one thought going through his best friend's mind. Without another word, Giotto found himself digging into G's pocket, grabbing his pack of cigarettes and lighter. G flinched, but said nothing.

His brother was still at the window. It was a thick choice; what he had in mind. Giotto was sure that every ounce of sanity had vanished from Tsuna's mind days ago – maybe when he had to move from Enma in the first place. He debated, and finally, he decided to keep his speech Italian.

"I screw everything up with that kid, I don't – _fuck_," G hissed and ran a hand through his hair. At first he tried with his injured hand before realizing it was broken, then went for the other.

"You know I trust you with my life," muttered the blond, and he moved to guide G's hand from his hair. "But do you think you can handle that? You're my personal adviser-slash-vice president, taking care of the brother of your ex-wife, and you watch over Tsuna."

That perked the brunet's attention.

"I can – " _I can try to get custody of Enma-kun._

He never got the chance to finish. G jerked away, obviously trying to relieve himself. Giotto rarely saw his best friend frustrated, and he was glad. Out of anyone, his best friend's fury was like hellfire raging storm and destroying the earth. He was an unstoppable tornado. "I don't want you to have that stress."

"_Wife_," Giotto said a little irritably, and maybe a little jokingly. The tension was becoming unbearable. "Why...why are you so riled up?"

Thankfully it appeared to be enough to stop G's almost-rampage. Ruby red orbs scanned the hospital corridors before eyes landed on Tsuna, who now peered up, innocent eyes directed to the pair of adults.

G switched to Italian. "You know I went for answers."

"Si."

"Roberto hired them to take care of him – and while I warned them that it wasn't a good idea, they laughed it off. They called him a bitch, and – and..." G grimaced, and a look appeared in the redhead's eyes that Giotto hadn't seen in years since Cozart. _The_ Look.

At that moment Doctor Nowaki decided to reappear. He paused, eyes on the possessions in Giotto's hands, and the blond quickly shoved them back in G's pockets while the other let out a string of curses for being groped. The doctor struggled through his frown. "Are you a smoker, G-san?"

"Yes." Quickly G continued, "But I haven't smoked one since yesterday, and I'd never do it on hospital grounds – and I carry cologne with me to cover the scent."

Giotto resisted a smile. It had been a habit he assumed G got from his own father ever since his death. Few people had the tolerance he did, and because his body had more smolder than oxygen, he sometimes forgot. Fortunately, G was responsible – always carrying cologne to cloak the scent for potential business partners and a bottle of water (out of like, three hundred cans of beer) to sober up before going home.

"Will he be okay?" Tsuna had been asking that more times than needed lately. Out of instinct, the blond grabbed his brother, hand protectively on his waist.

"Enma-san will be fine, but as you know, he isn't in his best condition." Doctor Nowaki smiled reassuringly despite the horror that crossed Tsuna's face. Giotto waited for a second, and he felt as almost if he could feel his brother's heart throbbing in horror. "G-san – while you don't _wreak_ of cigarettes, you can definitely smell it. Enma-san had been holding your sleeve for quite some time and inhaled deeply. With his trouble breathing and speaking, the scent was clogging up his airstream."

"Shit," G breathed. Giotto could hear it in his voice: _Why can't I do anything right?_

"It's only a little," Doctor Nowaki quickly assured. He put a rather large hand on G's shoulder. "But...if you truly, _truly_ want to gain custody of him, then I suggest quitting smoking. At least temporarily."

The blond knew his best friend well. He knew that G couldn't handle a day's stress without his booze or cigarettes, no matter the responsible adult his shell proved him to be, and the choice had to be conflicting. A lifetime of stress-relievers, or a lifetime with someone who caused him stress.

Then his redhead's hand twitched, and Giotto buried his chin in Tsuna's hair. He'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"Your choice," Giotto whispered. "The munchkin or the smokes, G."

It wasn't really a choice. G reached in his back pocket before summoning both his lighter and pack of cigarettes before giving them to Doctor Nowaki. Giotto thought of asking him why he wouldn't just toss them in the trash – but it was obvious. Any idiot could come along (such as Nasal) and pick them up to either set the hospital on fire or promote lung cancer. Giotto wasn't a fan of either one.

"May we see him?" Tsuna's voice was quiet. His brother was as vulnerable as Enma nowadays. Oddly enough, Tsuna was the one squeezing Giotto's hand for support, and Giotto let him.

Doctor Nowaki nodded, quickly tucking both of G's possessions for later disposal. Tsuna sighed in relief, and for a moment, Giotto expected his kid brother to tear away and run to Enma's side to make sure he was okay. Instead the brunet took his first step, expression tight as he pulled away from Giotto's arms, and turned around.

Small fingers brushed long, blond bangs out of smoldering eyes, delicately tugging at loose strands of what Alaude always called "unnatural sex hair" before pushing them behind the half-Italian's ears. A sharp tingle ignited to the back of Giotto's spine, while Tsuna lackadaisically tilted his head. Caramel chocolate brown eyes contorted with concern.

"You alright?" His little brother's cheeks teemed pink. Since last night, Tsuna had been giving him odd looks, conflicted, and supposedly had a "bad dream" as soon as he exited the bathroom. While his brother was a little ditsy, he knew Tsuna wasn't stupid. Well, hoped. It was cute, how the brunet dubbed himself not only Enma's, but _his _protector.

He remembered waking up in the morning, rejuvenated and refreshed, and discovering his brother was a hugger. Not just a _hugger, _but a vice-gripper. Giotto waited because his brother was asleep, unsure of what to say with the brunet's face buried in his side and arms around his waist. The look on his brother's face appeared troubled, and he contemplated. Tsuna came to his bed on his own free will, lying, specifically so Giotto would let him stay. It was odd. But he didn't care – having his brother with him after being worried sick was all he needed to feel secure.

As Tsuna's eyes fluttered open, Giotto's shut closed, and he feigned sleep. He felt his brother pause, only half-awake, and then there was a twitch. Giotto guessed his brother hoped not to wake him, and the brunet scurried off, body giving off heat his old Easy Bake Oven would be jealous of. Nearly twenty minutes later, Giotto had fallen asleep again, only to be gently woken.

"Giotto," whispered the brunet softly. "Time to wake up."

After he was getting ready, the blond noticed his brother was having hard time looking him in the eye. Giotto flashed a smile on the way to the hospital and asked his brother if he slept well. Tsuna said yes, and immediately the teenager asked the same.

"Yeah," Giotto said now. He suppressed a smile, yet again feeling the wrong emotion at the wrong time. He nudged his brother slightly and gestured to the door. "Go tell the Red Munchkin I said 'hi.'"

Without missing a beat, the teenager rushed through the door. They watched in silence as Tsuna nearly tackled his best friend (he knew what _that _felt like) as Enma removed the mask.

"Sorry." Giotto snapped to G, who buried his good fist in his hair. Doctor Nowaki, too, looked at him in curiosity. "I didn't – creating a commotion like that – damn, what will Child Services say...about...his – _fuck._"

"You can tell he's a very calm man."

"Shut up, Giotto."

Giotto cracked a smile as Doctor Nowaki let out a small chuckle. The large man blocked the window, smile spread across his lips, but his eyes showed worry. "You certainly remind me of my lover, G-san."

He wanted to laugh a little. A look that most likely went unnoticed to the doctor, but G's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. _Is everyone gay_? Just about, love. Instead of provoking the redhead further, he looked up to the doctor. "What are the chances, do you think, for G to gain custody of Enma?"

Doctor Nowaki held his lips at a straight line. "I can't tell you that – I'm not your attorney. From the two days I've known you compared to Zakuro-san and Kikyo-san, it doesn't say much."

"You've seen Enma more than once," G clarified.

The doctor smiled sadly and looked over his shoulder. "True, I haven't seen Tsuna-san since Enma-san needed to get his appendix removed. However, Nana-san would bring him here without her son on occasion. I did many of his check-ups, no questions asked because Nana-san, too, did not know anything but to take Enma-san to the hospital."

"Nana would have taken better care of him," Giotto said simply.

Doctor Nowaki nodded in agreement. "She tried very hard to get custody of him – begged her husband. He told her it wasn't the right time – one son to take care of because he was engrossed with work, and later they would have another child. She was almost approved to take care of him, but Zakuro-san and Kikyo-san – I don't know how – gathered dirt on her. Good dirt."

"Child custody isn't exactly that powerful in this country." Giotto turned to the redhead, who busied himself with his new brace(let.) "G, are you _sure_ you want to go through with this? Can you handle it?"

"It's what Cozart would have wanted."

Yeah. Right. Giotto bit his lip, eyes fluttering closed for a second. It's what Cozart would have wanted; what Tsuna truly wanted, and what _they_ definitely wanted. No child should have to go through cruel abuse – even if he _did_ think they were spawn of the devil. "Do you want it?"

There was no hesitation. "Definitely."

A smile spread across the face of Doctor Nowaki, and he revealed a pamphlet from his pocket. "This will help you rid the scent of smoke on yourself and at your home. I recommend buying new clothes so he does not inhale the scent. Have you bathed since last night?"

"Er, no."

"Alright. Bathe before you come back, and I will sign a waiver allowing you temporary custody until the court date."

"I didn't ask for one."

"Would you rather I not?"

"No." Then G cracked a curt smile, broken hand shoved down his pockets as he looked to the window. Tsuna stopped his conversation, eyes peering to the pare of adults, and Giotto rested a hand on his best friend. "But thank you."

"He will have to stay in Shimon. He can't stray too far," Doctor Nowaki warned.

G looked conflicted yet again, then nodded. "Alright."

Tsuna appeared at the door, eyes bashful as they looked at the conversing adults. Giotto gave his brother a look in exchange for his own, and the brunet turned pink.

"Doctor Nowaki is going to sign a waiver so I may have temporary custody of Enma," G said. A sigh of relief escaped the teenager's lips, and Giotto cracked a smile. G grimaced. "Also gotta go clothes shopping and file a court date. Tsuna, do you want to come with me?"

Hesitation crossed the teenager's face before he slowly nodded. Tsuna looked up to his brother. "Will you...look after him?"

"There's a choice?" A small smile etched his brother's lips, and Giotto chuckled softly. He patted the boy on the head before turning back to G. Doctor Nowaki had excused himself, off to get what Giotto assumed was the waiver, and G raised a hand.

Giotto shut his eyes, hands tangling through red hair. He shifted, until his face was buried in the crook of his best friend's neck. It'd been a long morning, and he wasn't used to waking up early.

"_Stai bene?" _Are you okay?

"_Si." _Sorta. Not really. The second G mentioned his insecurities, Giotto could feel a struggle to keep the smile on his face. His fingers were trembling, and G pulled away, lightly pressing a kiss to his nose. As he did so, the blond resisted his instinct to whimper like a child. The kiss had been chaste, but it left him with a light headache.

G released his hands, expression as tight as it'd ever been, and looked to Tsuna with a soft smile. "_Arrivederci_, _Giotto_."

"_Ciao_." The other man softly squeezed Giotto's shoulder, and even then the blond felt the need to jerk way. He resisted, instead smiling at his best friend, then Tsuna, who followed after G like a stray cat.

Scarlet red orbs met Giotto's eyes as he turned his head. He offered a small smile as Enma hugged his knees and entered the room. "Se sei fluente in italiano?" _Are you fluent in Italian?_

It was one of the first questions he'd asked the redhead when they first met. He knew Enma was at crossing-point, where he knew more than a tourist, but less than a resident.

Enma hesitated before shaking his head.

Giotto grinned. "_Carino._" Cute.

Red danced across the teenager's cheeks, and it was obvious he was bothered by something. The blond grabbed hold of a chair before perching himself at the side of Little Bite-Size's bed. Fiery eyes wandered for a moment, and a chill ran down Giotto's spine. The room felt empty; almost lifeless without the pair.

As he checked on the munchkin, he found scarlet eyes carefully watching him.

"What?"

The redhead's face contorted, eyebrows furrowed dreamily and he lay back down.

"Are you alright?" In truth, Giotto had never taken care of a sick person. The closest he came was Lampo, and (thank God) the kid was now twenty.

The look his brother's friend gave him seemed bothered. Giotto looked at the tiny teenager, and knew he wasn't stupid. "Fra..." Enma cringed, and the blond knew Little Bite-Size's voice wasn't supposed to be in that octave. "Fra...tell..."

"_Fratello_. Brother." Giotto clasped a hand over the redhead's mouth, treating him almost as he did G when the other was bothered. Enma held his throat delicately before slowly nodding. "Do you want me to tell you about your brother?"

Enma nodded.

"In _Italiano_ or Japanese?"

The redhead's lips twitched into a slight frown before holding two fingers up. Giotto assumed he meant the latter, and he processed all thoughts of Cozart. As the memories became more consistent, he could feel them slap his heart. Making out. Skinnydipping. Exchanging Valentines. Skinnydipping_._ Making love. _Skinnydipping._ "I met Cozart when we were fifteen."

He watched as Enma counted the years, then continued.

"He's the one who turned me gay."Giotto waited for the teenager's reaction, and was surprised when the redhead simply shrugged. Obviously, Giotto thought with nostalgic humor, Cozart was a charmer even before they met. "He...never told me he had a brother. But I also assumed that he didn't."

Little Bite-Size bloomed red, but Giotto had a feeling it wasn't from embarrassment. Just like his brother, Enma wasn't stupid.

"Enma...do you know the customs and traditions?" Enma shook his head. So Giotto explained. The teenager was silent (though, he couldn't speak anyway), and the blond made sure he didn't leave out any details – from Shimon's traditions, to dukes and landlords, Roberto, and anything else he could think of. Until, finally: "You're the heir to the Shimon Fortune, Enma. Above your sister, technically."

But did disowning count? Each family had a different way of dealing with things. Once Giotto mentioned _sister_, Enma's eyes widened, eyebrows raising beneath his hairline. By now Giotto knew Enma learned the death of his brother. To find out about the existence of his sister on the same day as the death of his brother was a lot to take in.

"Mariana-Emilia Gabriella Shimon. Mariana-Emilia. _Ma_ and _Mi_ – Mami." At the name, Enma's face twisted, and Giotto already knew why. "Roberto Cozart _Gabriel_ Shimon II – " Enma yanked the IV with him until he reached the clipboard hanging at the end of the bed. He trembled slightly before handing it to the adult to read. "— Emilio Mariano Nathaniel Shimon – Cozart came up with your name, didn't he?"

It was one of the things Cozart and he shared – going by their middle names. Giotto understood now, why the munchkin was in his right of mind when he paled. They took names from both brothers, and obviously kept the youngest in mind. Oh, _Roberto._ What was he up to?

Kozato. Cozart. _Duh._

The heading was just as Giotto had seen – _Emilio Mariano Nathaniel "Enma Kozato" Shimon_. His name had never been changed, which meant that some day – _maybe now, actually_ – Roberto planned to use Enma.

"Your sister is five years old," Giotto whispered softly. He narrowed his eyes before setting the clipboard down. The poor redhead was lost in his own little world, eyebrows furrowed, and obviously unsure of what to do. The blind smiled softly and squeezed the poor boy's ankle. "She's very sweet."

Enma shivered. He buried his face in his arms, and Giotto heard the same word again in a different sense. "_Onii-san." _Big Brother.

He grimaced, voice sounding like broken glass to his ears. It hurt listening to, and Giotto had no doubt it was uncomfortable for Enma to speak. He continued squeezing Enma's ankle, eyes slowly fluttering close. They were different and so much the same.

Cozart had been so optimistic, and his laugh made him easily stand out of a crowd. Enma wanted to blend in and make sure no one noticed him. Cozart hid himself under his hat, and Enma his Band-Aides.

"We met when we were fifteen," Giotto started again. A reminiscent smile spread across his lips and he leaned back in his seat. "And Cozart was the one who turned me gay. There was something about him that made him irresistible – whether it was his charm or his love of nature – he was a hippie, you could say. So in tune with the earth."

"_You won't speak to me, but you'll make out with a squirrel?"_ He remembered as a teenager, asking. The new kid in class was quiet. Roberto Shimon – that was his name. It wasn't his calmness or his serenity that attracted the blond teenager to the nature-loving hat-kid. Gaspare had gone off to do something of his own that day, and Giotto decided to pester him.

Pester the _shit_ out of Roberto Shimon, until that kid was willing to speak. Roberto looked up, and the blond remembered being unable to breathe. The look in his dashing, maroon eyes, or his hair in such a rusty color that it was almost unearthly. He liked women at the time – or thought he did, before that kid flashed a shy, reserved smile.

"_It was stuck in between the teeth of a cat."_

He – _"Oh."_ It was a divine accent. Think Marisol, Giotto remembered. Marisol, Marisol, Mari-girlfriend-_sol._ _"Roberto – "_

"_Cozart_," and the redhead grimaced. It was the same grimace Giotto often had when someone other than Gaspare referred to him as Ieyatsu. _"Please, Giotto. Call me Cozart."_

When Roberto Cozart Gabriel Shimon II flashed him a delicate smile, Giotto knew he had been – he'd been _grounded._ Taken from his little world of superiority to another man, and – Marisol? Who was that?

"I don't think I've touched a woman after Cozart." Giotto chuckled lightly as Enma turned pink again and lowered his gaze. "G didn't like him, to begin with."

The look crossing scarlet eyes showed he was outrageously offended.

"He warmed up – he had to. Cozart was my best friend, and I've cried on more than one occasion about his death – birthday, reunion, anniversary or not." And he wasn't ashamed of it. The blond looked to the face of his late best friend and once-lover's brother, and the thought lingered crept through his head – _why do they have to look so much alike?_ Did Enma look exactly like his brother, once he was stripped of those bandages?

Not entirely. Totally.

"In our later years," Giotto continued, and he shut his eyes. "When Cozart was diagnosed with leukemia, G and I wouldn't leave his side. Through occasions, we took care of Mami because she liked seeing her older brother. G loved her dearly like a sister. Like a _daughter_, almost."

G had always been good with kids. Giotto would never let that fact slip away.

"G has always been very protective of me. He was originally the son of our chauffeur, and we became best friends." His face fell grim again, reminded of what had happened no less than an hour ago in the hallway. Cozart and G meant the world to him. "There were a few times – _rough_ times – where there was sexual tension. Mostly on my side."

Enma's lips fell to a frown. _Ah._ The blond couldn't help but smile, and tested the waters.

"We've had sex a total of three times since we've known each other. But," Giotto continued before the redhead could burst a vessel, "we've never actually been in love."

Red orbs looked at him reluctantly, and the blazing Italian gazed back. It took maybe one, two seconds before Enma's cheeks turn pink, and the redhead shrunk in his misery.

"You're jealous." Enma shook his head. "You little _midget_, you're jealous. Is our intimacy any different from yours and Tsuna's? At all? Do you have feelings for him?"

Hilariously enough, the teenager obviously froze. He debated this, and Giotto did his best to keep a serious demeanor. Not a second too soon, red darkened the teenager's face until he was the color of his hair, and he buried himself under shaggy bangs. Giotto chuckled.

"_Carino._"

No one ever understood. Giotto and G may have had sex, but Cozart and G made love.

Despite how well Giotto was certain he'd shown G the pleasurable side of liking men, the blond knew well his best friend would not have divorced Bianchi those three years ago – the three years before Cozart died – over gay sex. Giotto made G enjoy gay sex, but Cozart Shimon made Gaspare Tempesta fall in love.

OoOoO

"What's wrong with him?"

G watched the brunet as they moved around the mall. Tsuna had been silent through the entire trip in the taxi, and he'd grown worried. Of course, he thought with a tired chuckle, Tsuna had an odd tendency to run his mouth and suddenly think everything he said would offend someone. Because he hadn't specified who "him" was, the redhead was left confused.

"I think you know what's wrong with Enma-kun," chided the adult. It wasn't a secret how tired he sounded – three hours in a hospital room where he insisted his fist was fine – even if he _did_ break someone's nose from a simple punch – and another few spent contemplating Enma's situation.

If possible, large brown eyes grew wider, and the teenager fumbled with his fingers as he looked at the rest of his Chinese food. "Do you...really want to adopt him?"

"Well, maybe not _adopt_." That was a step was one he would have to discuss with Enma. Adoption would have been a big step for the both of them, calling Enma his _son._ Enma was old enough to...to be his _ex-brother-in-law._ The expression on Tsuna's face melted into turmoil, and G assumed he didn't know the difference between adoption and guardianship. "I'll have legal _guardianship_ over him, if court passes this decision. The same way I manage Hayato-kun's wellbeing and Giotto manages yours."

"Oh." With that, relief fluttered through the kid's mind.

To reassure him, G continued. "I've got to speak to Asari about having a new room mate – he complains that we don't spend enough tome with one another." Damn musician. He resisted the urge to smile. Asari Ugetsu would know exactly how to soothe Enma, even if _he_ couldn't.

"The one that looks like Yamamoto?"

Uh. Well, the redhead blinked, suddenly taken off guard, "Uh, yeah. I guess they do look a little bit alike, don't they? Takeshi has been getting lessons from him since before I even met him. Through him I met Hayato, and through Hayato, I...well, you can guess from there. I married his sister."

"Wh-Why did you guys divorce?"

The redhead pondered the kid's question, lips hesitant to contort into a small, sad smile. Many reasons. "I, uh – "

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Tsuna's eyes widened comically, like he had suddenly set off a bomb. "I-It's private, and – "

"Nah, it's fine. I normally tell anyone who asks we divorced because her cooking was terrible." G crinkled his nose, and the lingering scent of hazardous cooking engulfed his senses. He shivered, face paling. "That was part of it. She and I are still good friends, but..."

"But...?" The teenager apparently wouldn't leave it be.

He could tell the full story; what had happened. Or he could change the subject, like he he did when Tsuna became concerned with Shimon's status. Now he knew that was for a good reason. "We divorced three years ago, and three years ago Cozart died. At the time and during his chemo, Giotto and I never left his side – but the responsibilities of a newlywed got to me."

"Then..." His eyebrows furrowed. "Why does Gokudera-kun's family let you take care of him?"

"Hayato and his family have never gotten along." It was similar to how Tsuna was raised. "His parents payed very little attention to him, unless he was attending a piano recital. Hayato has a natural gift for piano. But because he was so young, Bianchi was worried he'd never have friends his age, and they moved here to stay with a close family friend, Doctor Shamal."

The color on the brunet's face disappeared. G arched an eyebrow, concerned, but decided to leave it be. The corner of his lips curved into a sheepish smile, thoughts fluttering back to Hayato and Bianchi. Most little siblings were overprotective and wary if they felt threatened. Hayato wanted Bianchi to be muzzled and enthusiastically told G on more than one occasion that he was willing to ship Bianchi to his house via UPS Ground.

"When we divorced, Hayato was devastated. Bianchi wanted to travel the world and learn more about food now that she wasn't caged to – well, me – and Hayato didn't want to leave Takeshi." God, he wished they would just jump each other and get it over with. "It was the least I could do, taking Hayato under my wing. I wasn't going to stop her pursuing her dream." And if she actually learned to cook out of it, then they were all saved.

"Do you...regret divorcing her?"

G smiled. "I regret not being a better husband. But no. She's constantly pursuing Reborn, and I'm busy taking care of you, Hayato, and – " G crinkled his nose. " – Giotto."

"Ah."

"Any other questions? How did I react when Giotto came out?" He ran to a confused Cozart about it. "Do I ever plan on having children?" Giotto was more of a child than he could handle. "Why have of my face is covered in a big ass tattoo?"

"Why is Giotto afraid of Daemon Spade?"

Oh damn. The grin across the redhead's face dropped. Red orbs raised to the little boy – _young man_ – sitting parallel to his form, and Tsuna simply showed he wouldn't leave this one be. "Who...told you about Daemon?"

"Giotto." Tsuna lowered his gaze, hands playing with the napkin in front of him. His voice dropped a pitch or two, and he rested his head in his hands. In an essence, G thought wryly as twenty-thousand excuses surfed through his mind, the pair of brothers never looked so much alike. "Will you please tell me?"

He didn't want to. It wasn't G's to tell, and he strictly told of Giotto's business life to most people in four simple words – _He can do anything._ However, G thought, eyes scanning the form of his best friend's brother, Tsuna wasn't most people. The brunet had come awfully far in the past few months, and it was a good thing. Giotto was learning how to trust someone other than those who had been around for years.

So before he knew it, the redhead was explaining in every crisp detail that came to mind about the jackass. "Spade was Giotto's first homosexual relationship." Without prediction, he knew the teenager was blushing. "Giotto inherited the company when he was nineteen, and still had to endure his studies. The man's admirable – he loves his job. Daemon is thirty. He had more experience than Giotto, and insisted on helping him."

G grimaced.

"Giotto was..._incredibly_ attracted to Daemon. They fell in love, and I'd never seen Giotto so head-over-heels. Neither Cozart nor I liked it. Oh, we _definitely_ didn't like it. But he trusted Daemon. Then, Shimon – "

"Daemon Spade sold off information about the Shimon Company?" G arched an eyebrow as Tsuna darkened and shrank in his seat. "H...he told me."

"Daemon is a manipulative cretin who worked for different companies to do different things before he started his own – Vendice. Giotto and he had been planning it, and once Daemon betrayed Giotto, they didn't speak after that. Giotto told Cozart everything first thing, and although troubled, Cozart forgave him. When Cozart forgives, he doesn't take it back." G's lips twitched slightly before his eyes fell closed. "However, Giotto didn't let it affect him. He lived his life in the name of Vongola for months, and didn't look back. But I...I should have noticed."

Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed. "Noticed what?"

"When Giotto started losing his sanity." A bitter smile loosely spread across calm lips, and G grasped his chopsticks. Why? Why couldn't he have noticed it – why did he actually _listen_ when Giotto brusquely told him to shrug it off? "It was the first man – maybe first anything – who he ever fell in love with. Daemon made himself out to be the perfect boyfriend, fitting every one of Giotto's wants and desires. I was jealous. _Cozart_ was jealous. And we didn't notice.

"They were in a fucking relationship for two-and-a-half fucking years, and even thought about possibly getting married one day – adoption, too, even if Giotto thinks kids are spawned from the devil. But it was all one-sided. There wasn't even a little bit of sympathy or love when Daemon left him, and it was a punch in the stomach to Giotto, who always has to be in control. For once, he _wasn't_ in control because he let a client get too close.

"All of their touches – their sex life. Fake. Giotto lost himself for months, feeling so exposed to the world, having some guy touch him under orders for almost three years, because he thought he knew Daemon." G buried a hand in his eyes and felt the tension built. "'How would you feel,' he said to me when I tried calming him down, 'if you were swept off your feet, and each touch, each ache where you thought you were making love – you were just being molested and groped and _violated_?' He tried to play it off at first, saying it messed with the business – and it did. His _personal _business.

"It's a lot like how Giotto is right now. Alaude vowed to track Daemon down for Giotto, but the man always goes under different aliases. He throws off Alaude's tracks completely. Giotto doesn't like anyone touching him; it makes him nervous. You see how he acts, Tsuna." G curled his good hand into a fist. "Giotto grew up with the mindset that he has to be in control of the situation. He has to know that he'll be safe – _anyone's _got to know. Daemon messed with his mind."

That was it, as far as G knew. He disliked reliving the details – of finding Giotto in a corner of his room or under his desk, trembling and incoherent with tears streaming down his face. He wouldn't look G or Cozart in the eye, pride far too wounded and feeling incompetent. Daemon fucked people up in the head.

Tsuna's face wasn't one G'd ever seen before. Chocolate caramel eyes, devastated and positively disturbed. He never trembled the way he did, and his eyes were never as large as they now were. Tsuna was at a loss, and G remembered more than one occasion when he was in the kid's position.

"We never told Celeste. Dino, however, flew in as soon as he heard his little brother was injured." It was probably what G needed to do now, but he couldn't get a hold of him. Contacting Dino proved to be troublesome. "He talked to him; made sure Giotto was okay. After that he had to leave, and Giotto was left to rationalize his own thoughts."

He would have continued talking. G wished he could; say anything else so he wouldn't have to see Tsuna's face, the way it contorted. He wouldn't have had to watch the look of joy disappear from Tsuna's face.

"O...Oh."

He wouldn't have had to destroy another person's view of the reputation Giotto tried so hard to earn.

OoOoO

Enma had fallen asleep.

Giotto found himself spending time explaining the full extent of his relationship with Cozart. There was without a doubt sexual tension between the both of them, and they dated on occasion, but in the end after Big Bite-Size fully turned him gay, it was just too weird. Dating Cozart, falling in love with Cozart – none of it seemed right.

Stories ranged from finding puppies to making out in the back of the car while Gaspare drove. Giotto decided to leave out skinnydipping – or for that matter, when anything below the belt was taken off (excluding socks.) On more than one occasion, Enma would harden, lips pressed together tightly as his thoughts wandered elsewhere, and Giotto noticed.

"There were a lot of times where when I left him alone, I would catch him staring into space," Giotto told him. And it'd been true. Same as the scarlet-eyed munchkin, Cozart's thoughts always fluttered elsewhere, and the blond never knew what to do. Cozart hadn't told anyone; not even G.

Once or twice, Little Bite-Size's lips would twist into a sweet smile, before fading again. Giotto hoped he could keep the teenager entertained. There were times Enma would perk, but Giotto made it clear he didn't want the redhead to strain his voice. He wished otherwise, so they could talk.

So he could find out more about Tsuna.

After speaking of Cozart, Giotto brought up many of G's good qualities. The teenager turned redder than his hair, and Giotto convinced himself Enma fell asleep due to "heavy blood loss in the second-head area."

After leaving Little Bite-Size alone to get coffee, a wave of nostalgia shrouded his heart. It'd been too long. He missed Cozart – missed his scent, his laughter, his smile, his love of nature – Giotto missed all of it.

It was a wonder how he didn't recognize the baby face of his once-lover under those bandages; the slight hesitation that came with Cozart's speech. Admittedly, Enma was mildly bolder. When comfortable, the teenager's stares could drill holes in a person.

Giotto missed Cozart. Dearly.

"Note to self," muttered the blond once he stood before the coffee machine. "Go to Sicily once this is over with."

A curse left his mouth as he dropped the lid between his fingers. G had to file a court date, they had to buy new clothes and necessities for Enma once he left the hospital, and still manage the business. If he couldn't keep a damn coffee lid at bay, was there any hope for him?

_Overly dramatic, much?_ Giotto rolled his eyes.

"Whoopsie daisies." There was an icy chill that associated itself with that certain voice. Giotto remained hover over his lid, frozen, and a hand found itself in the back pocket of Giotto's suit.

His mind went wild, internal alarm screaming just like his external, and long, slender fingers picked up what he'd dropped.

"You dropped this, _il mio amore._"

No. No, _fuck_ – no –

"Did I say it right? Hmm, Giotto?"

Broad arms wrapped around his waist, and the adult trembled. Two and a half years of touches came back to mind, and the entire world looked like it was shaking. No. H-He couldn't...not...n-not right now, h-he couldn't –

"Il mio amore?" Daemon's lips brushed against the shell of Giotto's ear, voice serpentine to Giotto's ears. "You're not afraid, are you?"

**Author's Note: **

This will be my New Year's update. And. Uh. What to say, what to say. OH. Um, so the reviews have dropped lately for this story, and I'm going to assume that people are losing interest in the story. If that's the case, then I'll be working on other/new stories (probably putting this story on hiatus), and there's a poll on my profile. Tell me what you're looking forward to! :) I also can't find the pen to my tablet, and I'm just lucky I'm buying a new computer/tablet PC soon. D: Now, I need a nap. WAKE ME UP WHEN SCHOOL ENDS.


	20. fevers and penthouses

**Lireach **Haha, I guess? I call it Amano's laziness to make them look at least the slightest bit different – other than, you know, the color scheme. **ToniChanLovesCookies **Aww, thank you so much for wishing that. C: And yeah; I hope the point that Giotto is completely comfortable around his brother was taken across. xD **FaerieDemon **Haha. I almost wrote "FaerieDAEMON" instead. I actually tried to get "Enma", but the only "En" name I could think of is Enrico, and…well, Enma doesn't look like an Enrico. xD **Kyurengo **Aw, thank you very much. Happy New Year to you too!** DrunkenPander **Thanks. C: **L'uke-chan **Nah, it's fine. I know after the last chapter I'm not going to get as many reviews as I normally would. I can see it. I'll be a little disappointed, but I'll get over it. **Freakin-little **Hehe. Pickles. And you never know; Dino may even be in this chapter. Maybe. Maybe not. **FakeAngst **YEAH THROW COFFEE. WHY DIDN'T THAT OCCUR TO ME WHEN I WAS WRITING THIS CHAPTER? Escapades. Sexcapades. Ahurrhurr. **Yumi-Emiko **The first one is right, and the second one I spotted after I posted the chapter. C': I'm just lazy with my re-editing. Haha, and I'm glad I made you squeal? I always love the exciting feeling you get whenever you finish seeing something absolutely amazing. The adrenaline is epic, amirite? **Mirriox **Haha; I was wondering where you were. C: Missed you. **Yura-chan **Baseball bat made me think of PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME. I like chocolate. C: **kikyokyoyahibari **Mmm~ I guess. I was wondering where you disappeared off to. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **You wanna hear the truth? This was quite possibly my favorite review. You always find a way to amuse or bother me, so you didn't offend me (I've gotten some pretty offensive reviews/PMs from people who were actually praising me), but I'm not gonna reassure you or hint when the G27 is coming. xD I think it's gotten to the point that once Giotto and Tsuna finally end up kissing, no one's gonna expect it since it's dragged out. Like, an OMFG THEY JUST KISSED kinda reaction. I've got the next five chapters planned, but I've worked on this story for a good chunk of last year after my YGO stories, and I always jump around from fandom-to-fandom. I owe my YGO fans a sequel. Ask copycat-capycot. She bashes my head in just about every time. And I really do have other interests, like every other author, and I hate committing to just one story because the ideas just die out so freaking quickly. Let's break it down; I've got a couple AMVs planned, four comics to draw, three different original stories/book series, and three fanfics. I don't wanna put that hiatus, trust me; I've got five chapters thoroughly planned and the end planned. Just need everything between that. And my favorite song? Ahhh~ Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson. Listen to it; I love the rain effect. C: **SieteSueos **Haha. I've had a lot of influences on my writing without even noticing, actually. xD I suggest reading The Lightning Thief/The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. **Stormypeach1396 **yes'm, dear. C: **Sokua **Haha. I was really hoping that Daemon was as creepy as everything leading up to his appearance suggested. Did I do that? **Missjinx **Haha. My favorite part about my readers is when like, ten minutes before I update, they put it on alert. xD OH GOD NO. Daemon is CURRENTLY thirty. He was like, 22 whenever they first got together. Guess that wasn't explained well. and omg. I love my new computer to bits. **Cheesey **Nah, that's okay. xD I feel like my IQ dropped this year or something. **Kanberry **Ehehe. Easy Bake Ovens. **Mel-Chama **We'll just wait and see~ **Metamorcy **Have I told you that you remind me a lot of my friend? xD The way you type is just like her. And yeah, I've actually done that. My philosophy is, if the writer had one great success in a story, they probably have many others, too. :D I can't remember any from the top of my head (I'm really bad with names xD), but it's fun. **L.L **Haha. NOT IN THE WORLD OF YAOI. **Drunk **There realy aren't. xD I don't read many stories under 100K unless there aren't a lot of 100K stories and I'm tempted to write the first(?) 100K 8059. I've had this idea for them for months now. **Ophianara Blade **I hate school. So much. But Precalculus is very fun. :D **Dremagon **Haha; no wonder I can't put the name to a reviewer. I recognized it. **Suzuru Seiyo **Mukuro was explained as Daemon's godson. C: Haha, silly. **Nekoboy44 **Haha; I just got a new computer and absolutely adore it. My old one I ate over all the time, but I'd kill you if you ate over this new computer. It's like my baby. And I named it Phoebe. C': And thank you very much; I'm glad I'm your first story to review(?) and I hope to see more of you in the future (if you wanna, you know) **RedBrittlePoison **You know what I've always thought? HDW!Tsuna, to me in bed, probably has the dirtiest mouth on the planet. xD I can see him dirty talking to the extreme. **Polar Pig **I recognize your name, actually. Just can't place the chapter. And I dunno; we're pretty far from the finish. I think this story is gonna be up to forty chapters. Oy vey. More work for me. **Mesonoxian **Haha, really? The thing is, I've tried to make the characters strictly already having a love interest. All!Tsuna in one story can be irritating when he switches from guy to guy before he gets to the one he ends up with, and it annoys me a bit. xD; **Coconell **Thank you for telling me thank you. Like, really. Just replying to it now made me think about anyone else, and your review just made my night. I update a lot quicker than other writers, and lately with this story I've felt unappreciated. So thank you for saying thank you and putting a smile on my face. :) **r a a i n **why is it people already assume I'm on hiatus? xD And thanks. I hate cliffhangers; especially writing them. **Lilth Vaan **You know what's weird? There's a girl that goes to my school that almost has your name. xD And that's okay. I'll never die. I'm immortal. :D **Narutopokefan **you called me a meanie, meanie. D: **Cattwo28 **Woow you hurt my feelings. xD And I bet you never anticipated this chapter. Just saying. You got a book? Me too. One of the books, the main character at the very end kisses a dude. And you think he's straight the entire story. **Chiri-tan **Haha. Yup. **I Am The Queen **Uh. What? xDD **Blanchard **Haha. I like your name. C: **xxxKimi-chan **Haha, that's really sweet of you to say. Everyone wants me to write another G27, but I don't really have any other ideas in mind. **Fire Princess21 **Haha; you don't have to give me ten reviews. C: K. **DarkRoadHina **Thank you. C: OMG I REMEMBER YOU. I like Rush Hour. Aha. **FreakyBlaze **Thanks. **Ezcap1st **Just about, right? xD Mukuro's more likeable in this story than his godfather is. **MeowMixtape **Nah, dear, you're fine. xD I'm glad you shared your thoughts with me, and I like getting into the mind of the reviewer. So kudos, and thank you for beign such a charming reviewer. **Wolfer **Ehe. C: **RanRanByakuran **I actually don't like cliffhangers as a writer; especially when I have to write them so much. Unfortunately it's also where I've planned to the cut the chapter countless times. **Blanca Rosa **Haha, I hope it was completely easy to understand; I've had some trouble getting the message across lately. **Uchiha Lolita **Thanks. C: **Rainbowbubble **Well really, this is my only committed KHR story. xD I'd love to start some others too. I have a TYL!27 x ten years younger!Giotto story in mind, actually. **Pamellka **Next prompt? **Kittytheangel **My kind of hiatus isn't that bad…I mean, seriously. Everyone's freaking out over nothing. xD **Routasu **Haha, you crack me up, dearest. **Toolazytologin **Nah, I know that. xD **YukataKitsune **Kid has so many surprises it's not even funny man. xD **Eyes17k **Aw, that's good. xD **Breathless02 **I told you it was getting good. :D **pudding **Just a bit. I mean, one of my reviewers is right; there are only two primary girls in the story not including Nana. xD And…have fun? I LOVE CHOCOLATE PUDDING. **Akon-Dikaios **Haha, that was such a long time ago. Thanks. **Love Fran **K. C: **hermajni **The story's gotten pretty out of control without the excessive G27, actually. xD But it's alright. **EternalSnowFlakes **Haha, enjoy the next chapter!** Copycat-capycot **You wrote that review just to cheer me up, didn't you? xD G's like a light tsundere, but not really? I call him the adult who grew up too fast. IF I STOP I CAN FINALLY UPDATE DOUBLESIDED COIN BUT MOST LIKELY WON'T. **Manquez Sardonique **Mind Hasn't. **Nagisa Fujisaki **Haha. Thanks. C: **Fire-tan – Element Star **Thanks. C: **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Thanks. xD **Saffy **Alrighty then? Haha **Aiya **Reviews/readers are everything to an author. xD; **monkeydluffynaruto **I read the "you're a dick" part first and I thought you called me one. Then realized you called Daemon one. xD **L **We'll see. **Illuminati-4 **G's motherhen-ness has actually gone a bit too far. xDD I need to tone it down a little, but everyone loves him for it. Giotto's relationship with Alaude will be explained in this chapter, and yeah. Yaoi can be interesting, but it can also be really annoying. I call it SHOUJO, only the hormonal Mary Sue turns into a Gary Stu. **Aquamarine-chaan **Haha, that's really sweet. I'm glad the both of you like this story. **Chocolate Fax Machine **Nah, Gaspare isn't his name; but I searched high and low because in the manga, G is actually "G.", which is an abbreviation for something. xD Who knows what; I think it's an abbreviation for "Giotto." **KonataIzumi1 **FF is acting so freaking stupid and I hate it. **Too lazy to log in **Didn't you review this already? O.o **derorrim **I love math. Math is my second love. :DD **Twigileia **Ahaha. Ukenma. xD Thank you very much, I recognized your name. **Tangerine342 **Haha, thanks for the panic attack, I guess? xD And I totally agree with you. Their "daughter" would be everyone else's "sister." **AAAA **It's fine; don't worry about it too much darling. xD **A **You're most definitely not. **Set **Thanks for smiling for me? I smile a lot. C: **Gin Nanashi **Watermelon? xD How'd you come up with watermelon? Gooshfraba to you, too. **Plushiepaw **Yeah, I was hoping Daemon was portrayed well. c': **The Plot Thief **Haha, that's a strong statement, isn't it? It hasn't updated for two weeks, so I'm a little depressed. xD Probably should have put that they looked like Barney or something. Totally forgot about dinosaurs. **Wippy **We may find that out soon. C:**LuckyStarWitch **Haha. Threesomes scare the crap out of me. xDD Hate 'em. And G was the reluctant one in their friendship; I don't think he was able to handle them. I dunno when the next time I'll touch on Giotto's past will be though. **Sapphire-chan **Dropping the story? Is that what everyone really thinks I'm doing? xD And it's okay. I think it's cool that I have a lot of foreign readers. **Yukishira **We'll see. ;)**xRynnX **How does everyone think "I'll fucking fax you the court date" is the best line out of there? I don't think I had one, actually. xD And it's fine. **KarnivalKun **That is so true. xD I really did like this review. I read the good ones three times and the bad ones twice as much. Read this one three times and it did make me think. One reviewer once told me that they loved how Tsuna "sought approval" from his superiors with every decision. As for prim sense of humor? Just made me lol. All week my teacher's made fun of my height and gone on with the math lesson like it was absolutely nothing. xD I'm the butt of a lot of short jokes in that class. I'm glad you liked the story; and it made me laugh a bit. A friend of mine told me she likes to comment on the latest chapter/page of a story/comic and say she just started reading, and then goes through reading. She hates it when people review every single chapter. I don't think I actually have a preference. xD **Pink Chaos** Sorry I pissed you off, but don't you think if I was writing for my own entertainment and for myself…that I wouldn't have even bothered posting this story on FF? There's some truth in what you're saying, but updating this story has bummed me out a little lately. Too much pressure. Writing a story for no one (aka taking it off the site) would bore the hell out of me though. Not only does the plot entice me, but I do love my readers and they motivate me. I just wish they motivated me less so I didn't actually write this story when I was bored. O: **Toushi-tama **Nah, thanks. Yay for being your first review? C: **spekularyon **You didn't offend me, and you're not the first to tell me that you're losing interest. xD Like I said four chapters earlier, I'm not just torturing you. It's a slow process, but it's not like I'm purposely dragging it. Quite the opposite. As a reader I would have given up on this story a long time ago. But as an author, I prefer setting my original pace, and I've cut so many things out already that replanning what I've had to changed makes me forget the small quirks in earlier chapters. The earlier chapters have a lot of open ends in them to pick up in later chapters, but I can't remember all of them for the life of me. Right now I can honestly say this is the "shortest" I can make my planning until we get to the G27 development. You'll like it. If you still read it. C:

**chapter twenty has **fevers and penthouses.

"Nufufu~ Nothing, il mio amore?"

Funny. Years ago a voice so smooth like the sound of a purring feline made Giotto's skin crawl with delight. It had the ability to sedate and make his blood rush all the same, cause red to swell in his cheeks, and make his heart beat twenty times its regular beat.

Giotto felt paralyzed. Blood dropped from his head, quickly numbing the rest of him, and the warmth in his cheeks eerily collapsed into a ghostly white. His heart throbbed, desperately hiding itself under layers of weary tissue and fearful muscles. Heartbreak was a gruesome wound, and to this day he was still unsure if five years apart allowed his heart to heal.

"You know I'm a good British man." Blond hairs rose, icily frozen in place as the malicious voice of his ex-lover slithered through his veins. The thick British accent huskily raised Daemon's vowels as he spoke in his native tongue. "Oh, you wound me, Giotto. Here I thought after a five year reunion, you would fling yourself around me and – "

"Let." Was that his voice? It simply sounded like fuzz to his ears. "_Go of me._"

There it was: that _laugh_ again. He loved it – could fall into the melody like Jell-O and the broad embrace of his once-lover. It was like sandpaper rubbing against his ear drums. "I can't do that, Giotto. _My love._"

Love. Love, love, love, love. How could a feeling so sweet shred his aorta and leave his heart fending by a measly vein?

At that instant, the blond turned around. Rage filled his blood, and immediately the fear washed into utter hatred. A scowl destroyed his shell, and vehemence blazed in fiery eyes. "What right do you have; to call me that? After our fuck session, when you waved my best friend's fucking files _in my fucking face_ and say that's all you wanted?"

Daemon didn't answer. The same charming, manipulative grin curled his lips. It took a moment to register in Giotto's mind that Daemon was hiding behind coke-bottle glasses. His stature loosened, quickly realizing although it was the same voice that ruled his aching heart, Daemon was still up to his silly games.

Glasses so thick you wouldn't know his eyes were the rich blue from trenches of the sea. He fashioned a goatee the same color as his eyes, but his hair was left stuffed under a large white fedora. A bright yellow shirt, black blazer, and neon red belt adorned the rest of him, and it was the kind of fashion-_don't_ Giotto would never allow himself to be caught dead with.

Was it not for that stupid voice, he wouldn't have realized it was Daemon. He could have gone his merry way; pretending or truly not knowing the identity of the man in the hallway if it wasn't for that _fucking voice._

After all these years he could still pick out his once-favorite lunatic from a crowd.

"I can see you're still mad at me." Well duh— "Alright. Since we're both here, we might as well go to his room now, right?"

'His'? Who was 'he'?

Before he had the chance to ask his question, Daemon grabbed him by the arm and pulled Giotto down the hall. They followed familiar steps and corners before coming to a stop at Enma's room. All the while, the burn of long bony fingers clasped tightly around his wrist made the fact go unnoticed. His flesh hissed in distaste, and he stumbled into the cretin as Daemon yanked him inside and dropped him in a chair.

"What are you doing?" Giotto stood immediately, but the look flashed his way caused him to fall right back into his seat. He sat obediently like a small pet waiting for its master, and _hated it._

"What does it look like I'm doing, love? I'm checking on my responsibilities." As Giotto processed the small sliver of information, he silent not just from fear, but also confusion. Daemon's lips contorted into a blissful grin as Giotto watched like a newborn kitten. The odd cretin ran a hand through Enma's hair, and the air in Giotto's lungs vanished.

"What," he breathed light-headedly, "what…_responsibilities_?"

"Nufufu. Emilio, of course." _Emilio._ Emilio, Emilio, Emilio – Giotto was just speaking to Enma about his status as an heir a few hours ago. What did Daemon know about Emilio. "Oh, love. You're still one of the slowest people I know, I can see."

Giotto snapped out of his gaze, eyes narrowing as the internal instinct to protect Enma came to mind – until, however, he really looked at what Daemon was doing.

The man he once loved ran his hands through "Emilio's" hair, fingers digging into soft curls, and the look was one of pride. "We shared many qualities, but your stupidity isn't one of them. That one goes hand-in-hand with all three of your brothers. Emotional attachments, however, seem to be a weakness of both of ours."

_Emotional – ?_

"I loved you. Still do, I suppose. But emotion is not a weakness I can afford to show in my personas. Iemitsu counts on me to keep this case in order."

His father? What did his _father_ have to do with any of this? With… Giotto scowled. With _Daemon_?

"Don't get mad at your father," Daemon hummed irritatingly. "I've been working for the bloke for _years_ now. Before I even met you. Emilio has been my case since I was fourteen and you were eleven, love."

"Wh…what?"

Daemon sighed dramatically and Giotto took the stupid time to remember before focusing on business and the thrill of gambling, his once-lover was a Theatre Arts major. "You know for a fact, don't you? You told me – after you found out your father was having an affair with Nana, and they birthed Tsunayoshi, he was never around?"

"He was never around for Tsuna, either," Giotto said defensively. He mentally slapped himself – in what way was he _defending_ his brother?

"Of course. Emilio is overall _my_ case. Iemitsu is in charge of child services, and the Shimon family became his client." Daemon pulled away, smooth smile separating his cheeks, and locked eyes to Giotto. Giotto looked away. "Most of the time, Emilio was my client. On occasion, he would visit Nana and Tsunayoshi – thus ending with the birth of Lambo." Ugh, the sheep child. "The Shimon Family requested we kept it private, and so we did."

"Then why get all of that information? Why steal the data I had of them and destroy their company name?"

"That was almost always the plan. Getting involved with you was the easiest way to get to Cozart and get all the data from Shimon. Without that money, Cozart's destiny to die was set in stone, and years later, while they're still in debt and being the loyal brother he was, Emilio remains in possession of the ring." Daemon smirked triumphantly. "Nufufu. In the years to come, the Shimon Family will be forced to reacknowledge their shame."

It was a talent Daemon had that left the rest of the world speechless. Really. The information took his mind by storm, and he wasn't sure what was easiest to process: _You…stole that information to kill my best friend? You used it to benefit __**Enma**__?_

"You used me to get to my best friend," Giotto whispered softy. Fiery eyes diminished, falling to the ground defeated.

"Yes. But you proved to be a challenge, love." Daemon's fingers found their way wrapped around golden blond hair and cupped the half-Italian's face. Giotto's eyes flickered miserably, and Daemon slid the glasses off his face. "I never expected to fall in love with you. In fact – my mission was Cozart. But _you_, with your _tight arse_ and the way you eye things possessively. It was riveting. I fell for you."

"But…?" Ocean blue eyes as deep and mysterious as the sea. A long nose and absolutely _perfect_ teeth, and an idiot who made a stupid suit look absolutely gorgeous. Stop it, Giotto shivered. _Stop._

"But I've always put business before pleasure. You know that. You were a good fuck, love, however, my sights are set on the business world. Stock management. Gambling. Dirty deeds Coppers wouldn't _begin_ to imagine." Daemon flashed a grin, and had not Giotto paid attention to his speech, he would have missed the quick kiss upon his lips. "Vindice is going well, as you know. Expect a visit from Iemitsu soon to discuss child custody."

"You're leaving?"

"Always am, dearest. Nufufu." A peck of the lips was placed upon Giotto's head, and while Giotto realized what just happened, Daemon left.

The room was left empty with only a slumbering Enma and a bemused Giotto. He fell back into his seat, the soft beating of Little Bitesize's heart monitor filling his ears, and remained in that position until the hospital door crept open.

"Giotto?" Whose's voice…? _G's._ "Are you alright?"

He was still out of it. A small hand touched his shoulder, and while first instinct would be to jerk away in fear, he couldn't. The warmth of another body only seemed soothing, and the look in chocolate brown orbs almost made his fear melt. _Almost._

"You alright?" How many times had Tsuna asked that in the past day? The brunet's hands found their way to Giotto's, and the look of worry never passed.

Giotto looked to G, who too was giving him a nervous look on the other side of the room.

"Yeah." Giotto's lips struggled into a small, defeated smile. "It's nothing."

He was too busy lost in his thoughts of Daemon to realize he was still speaking English.

OoOoO

The court date was set for two and a half weeks later. Until then, Enma would continue school and go through the surgery for his voice, but overall, G was his temporary guardian. Because the news was progress and Tsuna couldn't miss any more days of school himself, they left late afternoon the next day after spending the entire morning with Enma.

Giotto stood parallel to the ticket booth where G stared at him, concerned, and leaned into Tsuna. He placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder, and immediately his brother snapped out of his thoughts, shaken by a weak touch to his flesh. Tsuna looked up, conflicted between leaving and staying.

He chuckled softly. When did his kid brother appoint himself as Giotto's protector?

That was…G's job. At the impression of his best friend's fingers on his shoulder, Giotto's grip on Tsuna's shoulder tightened.

"I don't want to leave you alone."

"Suddenly willing to commit?" Giotto teased weakly.

"Only if it would put a smile on your face."

Said smile dropped from the blond's lips. Giotto's grip loosened, and he stepped forward to hug G. Immediately his face was buried in the crook of his best friend's shoulder, and only the faintest scent of cigarettes appeared under G's scent of pomegranate gelato.

"You can be my wife, my best friend, and my brother." Giotto wrapped his fingers in the cloth of G's striped dress shirt. "But you can't be my caretaker forever, G."

G smiled halfheartedly. "Someone's gotta be."

"That someone isn't you. Take care of Bite Size, alright?" Giotto pulled away, and the comforting warmth reduced to a tiny grip G had on his arm.

G turned to Tsuna, who slightly twitched. "Take care of this nuisance."

The look in his brother's eyes was different than they had been the past couple of days. Giotto cradled G's forearm steadily, eyes watching the brunet's brow wrinkle. His lips fell to a contemplative small opening, the urge to say something tickling his tongue, and his shoulders drooped. Then apparently coming to a revelation, Tsuna raised his head again and said softly, "Will do."

"C'mere, kid." A half-smile etched G's cheek, and he yanked the teenager until they were hugging. Giotto watched, attention never leaving the embrace as he felt his heart tremble. G, the miracle worker, was once again taking all the world's stress upon his shoulders and making it his responsibility – including taking care of his brother.

G wasn't going to be around when they got home. Giotto would have to put aside his troubles and take care of an obedient, troubled teen that could run away again at any given time. The thought alone made his nerves twitch with anxiety. How would he be able to handle _that_?

"Giotto?" Tsuna tugged on his sleeve.

"Huh? Oh, right." Giotto pulled his hand away from G and smiled against G's look of concern.

"Maybe I should – "

"See you in two weeks." He pecked G's cheek, suddenly feeling like a doting housewife, and delicately tangled his fingers with Tsuna's.

Suddenly, G snorted. "You're not gonna welcome me with a good fuck again, are you?"

"Mm. Only if you need it." The blond laughed softly as his brother looked mortified before tugging them toward the train. "It's here. Now seriously – we gotta get going."

After the last of goodbyes, they finally made it to the train. A look of awe passed across Tsuna's face as they entered the suite on the caboose, and – "Whoa!" – under an iron clinch, the adult was quickly pulled to the large window showing the train station.

"For a little guy, you've got one heck of a grip," murmured the adult. G stood far on the other side of the window, unable to see through the tint, but he appeared deep in thought. Once the high-pitched whistle echoed up front, the caboose jerked.

Still, the teenager said no word and didn't relieve his brother's hand.

Giotto watched patiently for a reaction from the brunet. Nothing. Tsuna pressed his forehead to clean glass and curled his fingers.

"Enma's going to be in good hands, you know."

"I-I know…" Tsuna hunched his shoulders and shriveled onto the small seat as they sped through the city. "I know he'll be fine. I-I guess…it's just weird."

"Weird, how? You knew Cozart; we knew Cozart?" _And you also knew my ex?_

Caramel-chocolate brown orbs shyly looked up, orbs memorizing Giotto's form as pink spread across his cheeks. "The last time I was on a train to Namimori, I-I was dreading coming to live with you. But now that we're together the way we are…I'm…I'm really glad that you're my brother."

Oh. Giotto blinked, taken off guard, and felt himself turn red. When was the last time Tsuna actually called him that? …never. That alone was enough to sweep him off his feet for the next decade as Tsuna looked away, embarrassed. Silence fell upon them.

"Um." The blond ran a hand through his hair. "You can let go of my hand now."

"Oh." The brunet's eyes widened in amusing horror before releasing his death grip. Red replaced the pink dusting his cheeks and he wiped his sweaty palm onto the denim of his pant leg. "A-Are you going to use the bed?"

"We can both sleep in it. It'll be a long ride, little brother."

"R…Right."

As they climbed into bed on opposite sides, Giotto shed of his blazer and unbuttoned his dress shirt before tucking himself under the comforter. Like the past few days, he waited until he was settled, and Tsuna fell into a system of curling around the blond, face flushed in his left arm and becoming Giotto's personal heater. Slumber hit Giotto like a wildfire, and it hadn't occurred to him how insanely exhausted he felt.

"Sweet dreams."

As he closed his eyes, Giotto felt himself fall into the bliss only his brother could conjure.

OoOoO

Another train ride later found Giotto and Tsuna at dusk once they entered the neighboring city to Namimori. Few familiar faces registered in Giotto's mind as he dragged his groggy brother off the train and toward the taxi that'd been waiting five minutes for them. Thrice his brother stumbled into him, and Giotto nearly toppled over from the surprising weight.

"S'rry," Tsuna murmured once. The look of worry was gone from his eyes, and both hands clutched Giotto's left arm. He had given his younger brother a look of concern and simply shrugged.

"It's fine."

Finally they reached the taxi, and Giotto nearly threw his dazed brother into the back before crawling in himself. Tsuna barely registered the collision of his head against the glass door, and Giotto cringed. "Tsuna, what's wrong?"

"I'mmfine," Tsuna mumbled quietly.

"Liar."

"Seems to me the kid's got a fever."

Giotto cocked his head to the taxi driver as he shut the door and showed him the address. He didn't expect a "her," or for "her" to look half Tsuna's height with an odd shade of blue hair. Come to think of it, didn't he push them into a hot pink mini-cooper with crappy man-eating Blue Bell flowers painted onto the exterior? Oy vey.

"What do you mean?"

"_I mean_, his face his red, he has absolutely _no_ coordination skills, and his speech is icky." Icky. His taxi driver just said "icky." She stuck her tongue out at him and harrumphed. "Even _I_ know that, you loser."

"Uh." She was definitely not who he talked to on the phone. "How do you reduce a fever?"

She laughed. A high, obnoxious laugh that rung with a 'holier-than-your-mom' arrogance that shook Giotto's ears as he readjusted the brunet until his head rested on the blond's lap. He grimaced, eyes falling to the petite girl, and wished G trusted him enough to drive his Maserati Spyder. Was it really his fault that he was a little rusty from not driving for a week? "That's rich! So freaking rich! Well, _Alex Pettyfer_, your beau definitely ain't going to school tomorrow. He's gotta rest. Give him some Tylenol and Ibuprofen and he should be good. _Hopefully_. If you're competent enough. Which I highly doubt."

Giotto opened his mouth to speak, but was rendered speechless. (And quite frankly, he was a little reluctant to speak to a girl he doubted could even reach the gas pedal.)

What was he going to do if Tsuna was sick? Immediately he reached for his cell phone to call G, but the girl made him feel inadequate. He…_was _inadequate, if he couldn't take care of his brother, and it was ten at night. G…well, the typical G would have bought a six pack of beer and have some male bonding with Hayato-kun. G now was probably finding a temporary living space to hold both Enma and he, and Giotto wasn't sure what was more important. Fever. He had sicknesses before, but it was often counteracted with whatever nanny Celeste could find.

Or, he thought as he shifted Tsuna's head between his legs, when Iemitsu was still around to take care of him. He hadn't had his father's full attention since he was six and Dino was nine. A pang of discomfort made it hard for him to dwell on their father. However…was there any other choice than to ask G?

He couldn't. He wouldn't. It'd only been half a day with his brother and obviously he found a way to screw up already.

An overly warm hand tugged on his dress shirt and Tsuna caught his attention. Caramel brown eyes watched his gaze lackadaisically, and the brunet's lips formed a tightly-knit straight line. "You alright?"

Giotto cracked a pitiful smile. "Are you?"

"Mm. 'been better. Why's'world spinning…?" It was enough to provoke a chuckle from the blond's lips. He had an odd flashback to his brother and his DW Pills. Well. Putting him on heavy medication may not be a _horrible_ thing. It simply meant his shy, cute little brother would be replaced with a sassy, cute little brother.

"Almost there," Giotto murmured soothingly. He brushed away brown hair, the back of his hand resting idly on his brother's forehead, and bit back his grimace. Tsuna had been shivering in his sleep since the first train ride. Was he too relaxed to notice?

Only a few minutes later, they arrived at the tall building only blocks away from Vongola Inc. He tipped the driver (though had an odd flashback of Nasal when she, too, flipped a special finger before rushing away) and pulled Tsuna onto his back. Worry bubbled in the blonde's stomach, and he wished he was torn between laughing at the teenager's delusional state of mind or making a house call to Doctor Shamal.

Instead he was incredibly nervous, mind jumping around from subject-to-subject as he tapped the "up" button of the elevator with his foot. The pressure lifted from his neck as Tsuna lifted his head, and immediately Giotto felt his body stiffen. Warm lips moistened the shell of his ear and the wetness alone was enough to send a shock down to his groin. Giotto shifted uncomfortably.

"Wh-Where are we?" Tsuna shivered and sniffled. "I-I…th-thought…"

"Asari and Knuckle moved all of our stuff to the new apartment while we were with Enma. You get to sleep in your own bed for the night, little brother."

"Oh." Tsuna squinted, and he buried the side of his head into a blond hedge. "Cool."

Giotto entered the elevator, readjusted to suit Tsuna's height, and clicked the very top button for their penthouse. Somewhere through, his little brother dozed off, comfortably asleep, and he made a mental note to look at what his brother _really_ had. The brunet's head remained perched at the crook of his neck, and he struggled for the new set of keys to unlock the door.

That was another thing, realized the blond. He needed to give Tsuna a house key since they were at a new house. Cold wind suddenly hit Giotto where the teenager had lifted his head, and he flicked the light skillfully with his foot.

Wow.

Arching an eyebrow, Giotto looked to the new set of furniture he'd ordered not too long ago, including his third new couch in the past three month. He rolled his eyes. Giotto could see it now – "Vongola Inc.! Suddenly in debt for serious money because he kept buying new couches for his brother? !"

Shouichi hadn't let him down by the looks of it. Looking around, Giotto could see the trio apparently took the liberty to stuff his kitchen (since both Tsuna and he were both incompetent when it came to cooking) with a mixture of breads and pastas in his pantry. The TV hung firmly on the sole stairway leading to both of their rooms, and the orange furniture accented the light yellow color everything else seemed to be. Pictures hung from corner-to-corner, and had they not been his own, Giotto would have felt like a guest in his own home.

He trudged up the stairs, Tsuna still on his back, and entered the room Tsuna dubbed as his favorite. A dresser and a mirror made a difference to the brunet's "room" before, along with the bed placed on the wall opposite of the window – _c'oz, you know. The Little Brother's afraid of heights._ He smiled humorously and shrugged his brother onto the mattress. Tsuna curled into his new pillow, and a soft, euphoric moan escaped his lips.

It certainly was not helping an appendage he hadn't touched in nearly a week and a half now. Giotto was fortunate it was too dark to see, and chuckled softly as his brother hugged the pillow like a teddy bear. At least _some_ part of him wasn't freaking out about how to bring Tsuna's fever down.

Speaking of which. "Your clothes should be in the dresser. Get changed into something comfy and I'll see what medicines we have."

A noise left Tsuna's lips, and Giotto assumed that meant, "Okay."

He flipped the lamp on his brother's nightstand before exiting the door – after all, as cute as his brother could be, he was also a world-renown clutz. That being said, Giotto pulled out his phone, lips pulling into a distressed frown as he looked through the numbers on his phone. _Ah._

"_Hello?"_

"Knuckle. Tsuna and I just got back from Shimon, but he's running a fever. Do you think you can come by and look at him?"

"_Hmmm. At your old apartment, most definitely. At your new one, it would take me a while. What're his symptoms?" _

"Uh." Giotto peered into the room again, slowly scrutinizing his brother as Tsuna pathetically searched for the button on his jeans. Brown eyes slowly peered up, barely able to process his surroundings before looking directly at his brother. Or, the blond thought with a shiver, straight through him. Tsuna sniffled. "He's got a runny nose."

"_That could just be allergies. Find a thermometer and take his temperature, then take careful care of him. If he's got a fever, give him Ibuprofen or Tylenol. I'll come by early tomorrow morning and check on him for you."_

"Right." Tsuna picked at the tail of his shirt, apparently finding something incredibly interesting about it as he raised it above his naval. The brunet huffed, eyes falling to his belly button, and poked it with curiosity. If Giotto ever summoned the courage, he would have to call Nana and ask how she dealt with her son's…quirks. "Tomorrow."

"_Oh. And Giotto?"_

"Yes, Knuckle?" He felt like a little kid stressfully trying to get rid of his mother.

"_Don't panic."_

Giotto's lips twitched. Whether it was a smile or a frown, he was unsure, but decided to keep to himself. Instead he murmured a tired goodbye and tucked the phone in his back pocket. Thermometer. The last time he'd fallen sick was a year ago with a cold. G and Knuckle took care of him, and he quickly returned to his feet the next day. Running a hand through his hair, the blond lamented a sigh and searched all the cabinets for medicine. A newly sealed thermometer rested on the top shelf, and he climbed over the edge to reach it.

The door crept open once he returned, and Tsuna's face lit up with the LED light of his TV.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching Katekyo Hitman Rebirth."

"Put this in your mouth."

"Okay."

If Tsuna was useless when he was sober, he was as competent as a dummy-puppet on a ventriloquist's lap. He sat there, wobbling back and forth in nothing but a pair of cow print boxers as the kid on TV shouted obnoxiously, "TO THE MAXIMUM!"

A minute later, Giotto relieved the brunet of the thermometer and carefully examined it. 102°F. That wasn't good.

"I'm cold," whispered Tsuna. "And you're blocking the TV."

"No, you're pretty hot." Giotto steadily walked out of the room and ran through all he remembered about taking care of a fever. Not much. G was always in the office, never had the flu, and his friends were always old enough to take care of themselves. Tsuna could have been the same, but the way he was excessively poking his belly button made Giotto think otherwise.

So instead, the blond searched through new, polished cabinets for whatever medicine his friends provided for him and bit his tongue when he found Advil. Did Advil relief fevers? They relieved colds, according to the label. And runny noses. But couldn't a fever occur with _any_ sickness? L-Like cancer, or…c-could he have caught Enma's pneumonia? Why didn't he show signs earlier? Didn't they meet each other on _Saturday_? Fran took care of it, didn't he? Then…omigod –

"I'm so useless right now," Giotto grumbled. His hand shook as he struggled with the cap. For a moment, he debated taking all the bottles of medication sitting in his cabinets and feeding his brother all of them before remembering he wanted to cure his brother, _not give him a drug overdose._

So when he found the bright red bottle of Tylenol, the blond nearly wet himself in relief. He quickly reached for it along with a bottle of water from the fridge and almost tripped over the carpet going back to Tsuna's room. The teenager hadn't moved, apparently transfixed with the credits.

"Still cold?" Normally Tsuna jumped out of his skin when startled. He was too clouded to realize Giotto had entered the room.

The brunet nodded slowly. "A little."

Finally the younger brother returned under the comforter, remote in hand as Giotto stood on his knees near the nightstand. "You're definitely not going to school tomorrow. A friend of mine's coming over tomorrow to take care of you. Do you remember Knuckle?"

Tsuna squinted. "The one that shouts, 'To the extreme,' all the time?"

Surely he had been watching way too much Rebirth. Giotto sighed softly and unbuttoned the cuffs of his dress shirt. He pulled the sleeves to his elbows. "Sure. Do you need anything? Chicken soup? Tissues?"

"I-I'm a little hungry…"

"Alright." Come to think of it, he doubted they had basic necessities anyway. _So they'll stuff my fridge when all I eat is Captain Crunch, but they won't buy me tissues? _"I'll have to run to the store. Take your medicine and behave."

"Okay."

Running a hand through his hair, Giotto resisted the urge to sigh. What happened to Giotto Vongola, the CEO of his family business that all other companies were jealous of? The face that charmed everyone and made him riches?

"Giotto?"

"Tsuna?"

"'Love you…g'night."

O-Oh….um. "G…Good night."

Fiery eyes blinked in surprise as he faltered on his first step toward the door. Giotto nearly stubbed his toe as he hit the wall, and red quickly overshadowed most of his features. Oh, _God._

Giotto Vongola, the CEO of Vongola Incorporated that all other companies were jealous of, did not – _would not_ blush. He glared into the rear-view mirror of his Ferrari as he ran over what appeared to be a floatee for the pool downstairs. Giotto Vongola did not blush.

Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola, the older brother who was becoming more and more tightly wrapped around his kid brother's finger, however, turned the brightest hue of red with whatever mumbo-jumbo escaped the lips of Tsuna Sawada.

OoOoO

He was probably up three hours the night before making sure Tsuna was okay before forcibly collapsing into bed next to his brother. Those three hours included constant checkups on his temperature, two bowls of burnt chicken noodle soup (three spilled because they were hot when Giotto touched them), keeping Tsuna from repeatedly poking his belly button, immediately running to his brother's aid when he heard a cough, and a refill on a box of tissues, which now decorated the brunet's floor like confetti. Granted after dressing his brother in a pair of silk pajamas, the brunet kept unbuttoning them so he could continue the strange fetish with his naval.

Finally his brain stopped processing and with a vibrant bounce, the blond wound up in bed with his younger brother.

What most people found out within the first ten minutes of meeting one Giotto Vongola was he was very rarely a morning person. Some claimed his driving was not up to par (however, Giotto always quickly dismissed those slanderous lies), but sleeping was a luxury the blond absolutely loved. If one was curious where to find the half-Italian businessman, they would find luck in his bed.

Which was probably the first place Knuckle checked when he came into the house unannounced. The second place was Tsuna's bed, and Giotto was brought to an unceremonious awakening as the duvet was pulled away from his face.

"Oh, Lord!"

Lord. Yup, sounded like the religious oaf if Giotto'd ever heard him. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, blearily squinting in the sun's light as he processed what was happening. Certainly his brother was warm enough for the both of them, but his backside was now suffering from a lack of heat, and he had the right mind to murder "Father Knuckle."

Suddenly his brother's fever came to mind again, and the blond rolled out of bed, exhaustion forgotten as Knuckle supported his stumbling form. "Is he alright?"

"Hm." Knuckle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, eyes falling to the brunet, who was still peacefully asleep. "Did you give him Tylenol?"

"Yeah. Like you told me to." Realizing he was in contact with one of his other close friends, the adult quickly tore away, nervously shifting yet again, and made sure there was at least a foot of a gap between them.

"Still a little jittery?" Knuckle flashed a calmly sympathetic smile, but kept his gaze on Tsuna. Giotto nodded hesitantly, and clutched his wrist to stop its shaking. After that, the happy Spanish man reached for the thermometer and quietly shook his brother awake.

The teenager slowly stirred, but from the looks of it was still subdued by Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Advil. Somewhere during the night, Giotto had a feeling he gave up on separating the bottles and simply picked up what he could find first.

"You bright and awake, son?" Son. G called his brother 'kid,' and Knuckle was calling Tsuna 'son.' He drew the line at Asari calling the rascal "grasshopper."

"Where's my brother?" Tsuna's voice grated Giotto's ears weakly. He cringed at the sight of his brother, whose face was swollen from fever and nose dripping with mucus (ick) as he sat up like a spoiled child deeply unsatisfied with the turn of events.

"He's right there, son." Knuckle chuckled softly before beckoning Giotto to come forth. The blond ran a hand through his hair, and just like he'd done earlier, Knuckle grimaced once he put a hand on the teenager's forehead.

Tsuna whimpered. "I'm cold."

"I think God and I both agree that you're very hot, Tsuna." Knuckle cracked a coy, comforting grin and pushed sweaty bangs out of the teenager's face. "Does your head hurt?" Tsuna nodded. "Hm, runny nose, headache…I'm pretty sure he only has a minor case of the flu. His color looks okay. Have you been feeding him, Giotto?"

"Duh," Giotto mumbled, which came out more bratty than intended. He felt disgusting.

"A little exhausted from your first time handling the flu, I see," Knuckle teased. He pulled away from the teenager, small smile spreading across his lips, and jotted something down on a sticky note. "This is a prescription. Give it to the local pharmacist and…he'll have to be out of school for today and tomorrow."

"So for the rest of the week?"

"Just about." Knuckle nodded while Tsuna, giving up to understand what was happening, decided to go back to sleep. "Is there anything else you wanna talk about?"

The look on the priest's face made Giotto arch an eyebrow. He relinquished, slowly wilting to the bed, and looked up to Knuckle once again.

"Is there anything _you_ want to talk about?" Knuckle nodded like an eager puppy wagging its tail. "Let's…go outside. Tsuna, take your medicine, okay?"

Another noise left the teenager's lips, and Giotto gestured toward the door. Once it closed, Giotto took a better look of his apartment in the sunlight and sighed. He got to know it _very_ well tripping in the dark to dote on his brother. Alaude sat on his couch, currently enveloped with his laptop, and Knuckle held his head high proudly.

"You really got him to come?" He knew the pair rarely ever got along. Knuckle's achievement was indeed a rare feat.

On cue, his silver-haired partner raised his head, icy blue eyes warming behind their cool façade. Giotto bit back a smile – it was one of the reasons why he adored the man's presence. He – "You saw Daemon."

The almost-smile dropped. Alaude's knack for deductive reasoning overpowered his problem of _keeping his mouth shut._ When the blond opened his mouth to confirm Alaude's claim, Knuckle was second to interrupt him. "WHAT? YOU SAW MISTER DAEMON SPADE? DIDN'T YOU GO TO SHIMON TO FIND TSUNA? WASN'T THAT THE GOAL? WASN'T MUKURO THE ONLY ONE WHO – "

Alaude glared. Knuckle shut up.

Immediately the priest's face turned pink and he sheepishly smiled. "Sorry. You know I'm easily excited."

"So?" The Frenchman turned his attention back to Giotto, ultimately ignoring Father Knuckle, and crossed his arms.

"So what?" Smoldering eyes fell to the ground and fingers curling into the pockets of Giotto's trousers. So he pushed it to the back of his mind so Tsuna became his first priority? So Tsuna may have become first priority so he didn't have to think about Daemon? So thinking about Daemon led to what Daemon had said…and quite possibly erased the past five years Giotto had thought of him of a sick man?

No. Daemon was and would always be a sick man for his atrocious fetishes, but he was also one who had a strong place in his heart.

"Does G know?" Knuckle's voice softened to a gentle tenor. He placed a hand on Giotto's shoulder, but the man jerked it away and shook his head. "Are you going to tell him?"

Giotto shrugged. Everything after Daemon revolved around Tsuna and Enma, and telling G would simply put more stress on the redhead's shoulder. G didn't deserve it. _However, G was going to __**kill**_ _him if he ever found out._ Which really meant Giotto was going to take their meeting to the grave.

"He's going to find out."

"Not if one of us keeps our mouths shut, you oaf."

"Hah? Alaude, I thought you could keep a secret!"

"Of course I can, Father. I don't have time for this."

The blond rolled his eyes. Predictably, Knuckle lost his image of a calm, "fatherly" priest, and pouted. "You're never going to change, are you?"

Alaude snorted, and that was the end of it. Giotto looked between the both of them as the Spanish man sighed exasperatedly to his partner-in-crime. "Knuckle, leave."

"But I – !"

"He'll call. Leave."

Again, Knuckle harrumphed, and the shortest adult watched the pair with a soft chuckle. Getting Knuckle and Alaude in the same room was close to impossible, but when they were, they were near inseparable. With another concerned look directed Giotto's way, the blond nodded in reassurance. Knuckle saluted goodbye, and was out the door grumbling under his breath. They waited in silence until hearing the obnoxious _ding_ of the elevator, before Giotto dragged himself into the kitchen.

"So what happened?" Alaude, never one to beat around the bush.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Giotto murmured pensively. He ventured for the fridge and produced cereal meant for one.

"Why not?" Contrary to what was heard, Alaude's questions were always orders rather than curiosity.

"I don't want to." Tsuna. Focus all thoughts on Tsuna. "Look, I should probably make breakfast for – "

"Giotto." The tips of Alaude's pale hand could be seen from the corner of Giotto's eyes. The Frenchman's tone melted into true concern – another rare happening. Great; his closest friends all had a key to his new apartment, Knuckle and Alaude were once again their hilarious comedy duo, and his icy cold loner of a fuck buddy was now being tender even though he was rough in bed. "Please tell me what he did to you – "

"He did nothing." Which was true. "Held me by the hand, said he loved me, and left. _That's it._" Satisfied? He was ready to hiss, irked beyond belief, and knocked the bowl of cereal off the counter in the process. "Shit."

Miserable and frustrated, he fell to his knees as his heart bled over the thought of his old…lover. They were lovers. Daemon valued him as a lover, even if his priorities scored him lower than his work. How often did he do that with Alaude? _All the freaking time._

Daemon's eyes were an intoxicating blue. So were Alaude's, and the way his partner fell to the floor with him made his brain go haywire. The Frenchman gathered what Giotto could not, towel grouping fruit loops to later throw away after absorbing all the milk. "Look at me."

Giotto did what he was told in fear. No longer was the demeanor across the white-haired adult's face of a professional detective, but a truly worried lover who was obviously scared for his significant other. Blond meshed with snowy white, and he resisted all urge to recoil.

"I don't want to be away from you."

"You and G and Asari never give me a break." Giotto turned his head. He hated feeling weak. It wasn't the foundation he built his image upon. "Wanna fuck?"

"Not right now."

"Alright." Who was he kidding? Being touched just like this made him nervous. "G's going to ask for your help soon. Use your authority in law enforcement to make sure we win this case." _Win Enma._ Win Tsuna's happiness. "'kay?"

"As you say, Boss." The mask of Alaude's profession reappeared and he pulled away.

"Got to get going?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Call in sick for Tsuna."

A curt nod sent his way assured Alaude would do that much. He had a feeling he'd get a visit later that day, too, from the looks of it. Giotto gathered the soggy cereal once the door shut. G would most likely call, then Asari would check up on him, play some genius melody constructed only two minutes before, and they would all try to cheer him up.

Jeez. Why couldn't all his friends just meet him all _at once_? One-by-one simply drove him crazy.

Giving up, Giotto made one last check that the wooden floor was clean and dug for the paper Knuckle'd given him earlier. The clock only read 9:31AM. It was…_way too early for him to be up._ Did _anyone_ respect the godliness of slumber? He opened a can of chicken noodle soup, again stepping down to life, and set it on the stove. Hopefully this time it wouldn't burn and stain the floor. Again.

Peering into Tsuna's room, he found the boy was still asleep. Exhaustion crept upon him like a shadow, and Giotto staggered toward the bed before crawling in next to his brother. Overbearing heat desperately begged his body to shed of clothes, but the blond did otherwise.

Funny. All he had to do was embrace his brother to feel the teeniest bit calmer, and then everything seemed okay. The scent of medicines and sweltering sweat filled Giotto's nose as he inhaled his sick brother, and like a light the blond was out.

Giotto woke hours later when the weight on the bed shifted. His body was in a sweaty haze, and heat still radiated from the comforter that'd been pulled over his shoulders. A sound like shaking tic-tacs sobered his senses, and he wearily looked at his watch. Three hours past noon. The door opened, revealing a flushed, medicated Tsuna, and the boy returned to the bed wide-awake like he'd never had a fever.

"Why," Tsuna grumbled, voice three octaves deeper, "do I feel like I've twisted my ankle all over again?"

"Dunno. You might wanna get that checked. Put some pants on." Of course the brunet liked to sleep in his boxers. Giotto would have smiled if it wasn't the second time that day he was being abruptly woken. "How are you feeling?"

Tsuna didn't answer. Instead he looked around, body wavering like a drunkard until his legs reached the bed. "Where's G?"

"In Shimon with Enma."

"Oh yeah. Forgot. …am I in your bed, or are you in my bed?"

"You have a fever," Giotto mused. Tsuna stuck his butt up in the air as he reached for his pants on the floor and crawled beside his brother. "I've never really dealt with a sick person."

The teenager snorted. "'Dealt.' That's certainly a way to put it."

"Uh. Right." An awkward silence swept the room, and Giotto watched as the brunet look around like they were abducted by aliens and forced to share a bed. Technically the redheaded aliens shooed them off, and while they weren't forced to share a bed, the blond found sleeping with his brother to be more than delightful.

"We both need showers, don't we?"

"Quite a bit." Giotto laughed and waited while Tsuna glared at empty space. He shut his eyes, softly sighing as he decided to sit up across from his brother. How disheveled was he, anyway?

"Giotto."

"Yeah – ?" Tsuna kissed him.

The brunet pressed his lips against his brother's – _hard_ –into an almost bruising kiss. By the time Giotto realized what was happening, the brunet drooped forward, nose diving into his older brother's shoulder.

"You," Tsuna murmured feverishly, "are the prettiest person I have ever known."

R-Right. Y-Yeah. Um. Er. Wh-Why couldn't he get past the fact his brother just laid a wet one on him?

"By the way," murmured the teenager as he buried his face in his pillow, "the chicken noodle soup is burning outside."

Oh thank god, an escape. Giotto scurried off the bed, suddenly feeling as cowardly as Tsuna often projected, and couldn't get out of the room soon enough.

His brother…kissed him.

HIS BROTHER KISSED HIM.

B-But he was medicated. Medicated Tsuna couldn't remember anything after five minutes, r-right? Giotto certainly h-hoped so. And Tsuna was sick. He…w-wouldn't remember it. …Right? And, Giotto thought a little more rationally, one of the reasons why Alaude was his lover now was because he dazedly dragged the older man to bed and had his way with him. Tsuna w-was…well, half related to him. And Tsuna had weak tolerance to just about anything. E-Everything, really. So the kiss was just an accident.

Right. A sigh of relief escaped Giotto's lips. As far as he was concerned, his brother most likely wouldn't remember that kiss.

He grabbed the oven mitts (a gift from God the blond realized only the fourth time he cooked chicken noodle soup) and poured it into a bowl.

Only. Giotto froze again.

The reason why he kissed Alaude in the first place was because he'd always felt an attraction to him. W-Was it p-possible..th-that…Tsuna felt – ?

The doorbell rung. A loud curse escaped the blond's lips as boiling hot soup nailed him in the toe, and he quickly rushed to the door to yell at his next problem of the – "Dino?"

There he stood, Giotto's clumsy older brother who had more bruises than the US had states; hair like the Sun God and dorky smile and what appeared to be a caged animal. "So I hear my cute little brother had some boy troubles again? Where's my adorable little otouto? I have a birthday present for him!"

Birthday present? The blond opened his mouth to speak. He never had a chance.

Once Dino tripped over the welcome mat, the caged, adorable little kitten was released. Blood now stained Giotto's new, polished floors, and apparently no one took the liberty of telling him all hell was breaking loose.

**Author's Note: **

I forgot to ask you guys if the reason why Giotto was scared of Daemon lived up to your expectations. xD Did it? This update is two weeks late, but I have a good reason – my computer died. I'd already started the chapter two weeks ago, and then the computer died. Fortunately my new one came five days earlier than planned (two days ago) and voila, this beauty came out. Obviously it jumped around a lot, so I don't expect you guys to really understand it too well. Back on Microsoft Word, so I hope a good number of the typos are gone. My forced two week break bored the hell out of me. But it was fun. C':

Now. Why do you guys assume when I say "hiatus," I'm going to drop the entire story? I'm not. In fact, my _hiatus_ was only going to be about six weeks long while I could focus on my comics, fanfic writing, original story writing, and AMV making. Six weeks. SIX WEEKS. I had a longer "hiatus" the three months I was busy with band before December, and none of you complained (out loud). And no, I'm not going on a hiatus. But I'm probably not going to update weekly, either. Or will. I don't even know. I also know that after the last chapter, not all of you are going to review, either, so don't worry about that. Thanks for being such sweet readers, and I'm glad you've stuck to the story this long. Now.

OMG. THEY KISSED WHAT THE HELL.

Edit: My biggest typo fail ever in this story has been fixed. Please reread the beginning for it to make sense.


	21. older siblings and wimpy cats

**Lireach **Omigod. I really wanna write that now. xDD **cheerful-pinkstar **You'll have to wait and see! **FaerieDemon **Alaude's soft side was really cute. And I was really happy to be able to introduce Knuckle. :D The only one left is Lampo, and I can't wait for that. **Chiri-tan **People are crazy. xD I didn't even follow through with my "two week break" for that long. **Yukishira **Actually it's still not even all of it. I need to find a place to fit that in. xD **Cheesey **Which would be the point. :DD Giotto was fun to write, I loved having him run around like a mad man. xD And…I kinda wanted a half-forward uke, like drugged!Tsuna. **Desperateembrace **Dude when I first read that, I thought you said, "Did you just kill off the kitchen." xD And Giotto still has to deal with Daemon for a while. After all, a love triangle's gotta be _somewhere_, right? **L.L **Inorite? xD I went from "don't know each other" to "friendship" to "kiss." People say this story's moving slow, but I think the progression fits if it was in RL. **Nekoboy44 **Haha, thank you. C: **Fire Princess21 **Dino's tripping was my favorite part of the chapter. xDD Good; because Giotto's fear still isn't all the way there. C': **xRynnX **I do like that. xD None of the reviewers have a true opinion on him now, because they can't tell if he's a bad guy or a good guy. I feel accomplished. **Deaththekidluver08 **Haha, thank you very muich! **Ophianara Blade **This week passed by great, fortunately. xD And yeah, I'm in high school too. C: **ezcap1st **Yeahh, that was an error on my part. It's odd because I read the chapter to edit without even noticing. **Yumiko-Emiko **Haha, I hope you have fun rereading it then. xD And yeah, I wanted to make the kiss as spontaneous as possible. **xxxKimi-chan **Woo, that was the point. xD It's like, "Wait, what? Now I gotta read it twenty times to make sure I didn't make that up." And I actually read your review three times going, "Why not?" before I remembered that I've spoken about Giotto's fears three times in other people's perspectives, but not his. Maybe it'll make sense after that. And….well, all of my AMVs are really old; I haven't gotten back into the swing of things in a while. **Suzuru Seiyo **That's the point. C: And that's good; I loved the last scene too. **iNikkix3 **Haha, you'll just have to wait and see!~**DarkRoadHina **Pshh, at least they kissed. xD Something dramatic needed to happen to plant the idea not only is Tsuna a brother, but a possible lover. **Abg31 **You were in the hospital? For what? :( I made a mistake on Iemitsu's name, so don't worry about that. xD Fixed it. And no, it wasn't just the holidays I was referring to. Ever since I got to write again, the reviews have dropped. It'd be a little stupid if I just threw a fit over one chapter. xD **Devil's Companion **Haha, really? I think you're the only one. xDD **kay **Thanks. C:**Breathless02 **He really is. xD I think I exaggerated Giotto's disabilities, but it's cute how he's doting. **Funnyhappyday **I actually like it when all of my characters have an odd quirk. xD Tsuna likes to knit and Giotto can't drive. I've got an original story where the main guy refers to milk as "cat beer" since's from the 30's. **ToniChanLovesCookies **I've planned for Dino to show up for a long time, actually. xD Everyone believed Giotto would capture the first kiss. That must mean everyone doesn't realize by now after twenty chapters that I tend to do things unexpectedly. :'D And…Alaude. xD I think you'll like this chapter. The thing about Tsuna is, the manga only shows him with one love interest – Kyoko. He's also really shy, and I think he's a little too reserved to think about it. However, he does talk about it a little bit in this chapter, so you can form an opinion from that. C: **fionaroxz **Haha, thank you! **Yamiatemyugi **Nah, it's fine. C': Spade is…interesting. xD I like him better than Mukuro. AND YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAUGHT KHRebirth. :'D **Drunk **I can understand freaking out over a hiatus, but people have said it like I already went on one. xD **stormypeach1396 **Haha, I really do like that. And I think the way the soup is "burned" is when you leave it on the stove too long and the broth boils until it oozes from the pot. I wouldn't know. xD **Freakin-little **Tsuna. High. On Acid. Or weed. Or marijuana. Omigod. xDD The only other guardian I haven't mentioned is Lampo, and he's not gonna be in it until toward the end of the story. I'll let you in on a little secret though: Lampo makes one of them green with envy. **Rainbowbubble **Exactly. xD Although Giotto would be more forward initiating a kiss, because Tsuna is his brother, the thought doesn't even cross his mind. So Tsuna has to do it, and Tsuna wouldn't do it unless he was absolutely delirious. As for the TYL27 x ten years younger Giotto idea, the plot involves the primo guardians (as teenagers) going to the future where Tsuna is the boss. The real Vongola Primo explains to TYL!Tsuna that although he was the one who created Vongola, Vongola Decimo was the one who convinced him. My only problem with the idea is, I'm worried no one will really understand the reasoning. xD; **Dremagon **No one in that family knows how to cook. xD Not even Dino. That's what Nana's for! :D **Sonicfreak68 **Haha, thank you very much. C: **Hanori Shiki **Really? That's touching of you to say. xD **Copycat-capycot **You saw it coming? Really? xD Bah, I love you. **Fan girl 666 **Haha, thanks! **FakeAngst **Well, it only cracked me up since the word "hiatus" spiked about 2% of my lurkers to review. xD It was interesting. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **Take it as a compliment. xD As a writer, I should really just be nice and non-opinionated when it comes to my reviewers like all other authors. However, that would make my personality a complete lie and if I'm familiar with the reader, I'd rather give them the truth than paint a fake picture of whom I am. Like Daemon said, Enma's case was his case, and Iemitsu helped him occasionally. It means he solely tried to ruin Shimon's name and succeeded. And yeah. I love the song Banana Pancakes; it was unexpected when it came onto my iPod. No song this week. C': **Narutopokefan **You'll have to see!~ **Love Fran **Yup. He's so accident prone. xD **Eyes17k **Nah, that just makes it too easy on him. And me. xD **The RPers HELL group. **Nothing else? Really? **Pamellka **Really? xD I made him Spanish! :D So he's catholic. C': Boogers. Um.

"You've got a boogie sticking out." Five-year-old Giotto harrumphed and looked to his best friend with a pout. Gaspare tilted his head, ruby red eyes filled with curiosity. "I'll get it."

"But that's _gross_," Gaspare shook his head. Giotto didn't care.

"Stop moving your head, I won't be able to get it if you keep shaking!"

"Fine, fine!"

Giotto giggled and scraped the dried boogie off the redhead's face. He raised himself, dropping the pail in his hand before pressing a kiss to Gaspare's nose. "Let's play house next! You can be my wife!"

**Aquamarine-chan **My little brother doesn't get sick a lot, actually. xD And I read a lot of stories for bed time, so I know what you mean. C': I actually prefer writing this one at night. **Metamorcy **Uuh, probably some ridiculous number like forty-two. xD The pace is gonna pick up, but not by much. I'm debating planning on splitting it into two different stories. **Plushiepaw **Giotto can't be a parent. That's why he's gonna be a lover! :DD **62 **Mmhmm. C': You find anymore similarities between you and Tsuna? xD **FalseMoon **I suppose. xD But we've heard it from a lot of people's opinions except for Giotto. When Giotto explains it, I'll be able to get my point across. **A **It really isn't. xD I wish people wouldn't freak out about it. **An anonymous Fangirl **Who says I'm not updating for six weeks? xDD Oh dear. I'm never going to be able to understand the viewpoint of my readers. **Shakugan no Shana **I can't white about rape. xD I don't think I'd be mature enough as an author to be able to write it, and it's a subject I'd rather not get into. **KChoco **Haha, niiice. **Blanca Rosa **Haha. I want clam chowder now. xD **missjinx **No one ever said Daemon was gone for good. C': And thank you very much; you just reminded me that I gotta thank you guys (I always forget). **RanRanByakuran **Haha, that's really sweet of you. xD I wanted to make the kiss so random that it's like… "Whoop, I just stepped on a bug." Or something. **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Thank you. C: **KonataIzumi1 **Pretty much. xD I love Dino; his "graceful entrance" at the end was my favorite part of the entire chapter. **Mirriox **Oh really now? xD I have a Puppyshipping story planned, if I ever get around to writing it. However at the moment I'm not sure where I'll have the time to write the next chapter. It ends with a big doozy though. :D **Kanberry **Haha, enjoy the next chapter. **Tangerine342 **Idk, at the moment I'm not planning on getting into Enma and G. xD;; Since G is out of the picture, Giotto has to spend more time with Tsuna and the development is gonna go there. As for G.00, I have to think about it. **Honey-vanilla11 **Thank you very much! C:

**chapter twenty-one has **older siblings and wimpy cats

"Hey little brother." Twenty-three-year-old Dino entered the meeting room, hands firmly gripping the door knob. Honey brown eyes scrutinized the long, sleek black table that stretched from one wall to the other, then the red carpeting that accentuated warm orange walls. Hmm, being gay apparently had its benefits if Giotto knew how to color coordinate this well. However, that was another story for another time, and certainly the way he saw his little brother's best friend pacing back and forth with panic came first.

He surveyed the room until his brother caught his attention, and took everything G told him into consideration. From the way G spoke over the phone and just then at the bottom floor of the building, Dino would have never suspected he was telling the truth. The little Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola he once knew was now firm in stature, pin-striped suit making him the apple of all's eyes. He didn't look torn, frustrated, or the slightest bit distraught.

On the outside, anyway.

Dino took a step forward, and each one echoed in the quiet room. As he got close, the paleness of Giotto's sunkissed half-Italian face was sickening. Giotto held onto the foot of a document, demeanor frozen and pen in suspended animation above the blank for a signature.

"Signing papers?" He tried to create conversation. A broad smile spread across the older blond's lips and he wasn't sure what would come of it. Nothing. Absolutely nothing, like Giotto was a doll in his own world. "Do you need any help?"

Giotto remained silent.

"Giotto…?" Now this wasn't funny. Dino knew his troublemaker brother never resisted a chance to make fun of him.

In a barely audible tone never spoken, Giotto finally responded. The way he spoke – fear dripping from his words – almost made the older brother cry. "I can't do it."

"You can't do what?" The chirp in his voice remained, and Dino hovered over his little brother's shoulder. Big mistake.

The moment the skin of his chin touched his brother's shoulder, Giotto rolled his chair back and shook his head. "I can't do it. Dino, I don't know _h-how_ to do it."

"Giotto," Dino whispered. Now he saw it. Giotto began murmuring in different languages – German, French, English, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, Hungarian, Indian – and the words were the same: I can't do it. I don't know how to do it. **I forgot how to do it. **"Giotto, what don't you know what to do?"

Giotto whimpered. He shook, body trembling from sheer contact of his brother, and the elder blond forced himself to recoil. What he wanted was to cradle his baby brother and tell him everything was going to be okay. What Giotto _needed_ was to be restrained. A lone, uncharacteristic tear ran down the young adult's face. "Anything. Everything." His voice cracked. "I can't remember how to write my name."

"Is that all? G's your co-partner; he can write your names for you."

The younger blond sat in silence, not one word of wit dancing on his lips. Finally in a soft whisper, he murmured, "How do I stand up?"

"I'll help you," Dino coaxed warmly. He embraced his brother, arms wrapping around the frail young man's shoulders, and through his embrace Giotto's shoulders hunched.

"Please," Giotto whispered fearfully. "Please don't touch me."

That had been a memory the blond was thinking of when his little brother relocated him to a stool over the counter. Back then Giotto was frail and afraid of the world. His brother held a charm so deep to his heart and viewed the world from the top. But five years ago – five _freaking years ago_ – that view from the top of the world had fallen. Like a child stripped of its innocence, Giotto let the problem gnaw on his underbelly for two straight months until it finally sunk in.

"Your nose okay?" But that was over five years ago.

"Just a little lightheaded. Messed that one up now, didn't I?" Five years ago his brother was not only heartbroken about his first love, but his first love revealed to be a mastermind cretin that did more damage than admitted. The Giotto he saw now – though not primped and well-groomed – was tired. Several buttons fell open to the younger blond's shirt, and a layer of grease slicked hair that stuck out in more ends than usual.

His brother was a tall man with a lean physique and a light Italian accent. Dino assumed being gay meant looks came easily for his little brother. Honestly?

Dino still felt the urge to treat the "tall man" as his cute little brother, who used to be half his size and tug on the tail of his shirt to take him everywhere. Or prank him. Or cause him accidental pain. Or – well, anything, really. Dino was a sucker for all things cute. Ehe.

A smile quirked Giotto's lips. Ten bowls rested in his sink, soon to be added by another, and the eldest brother watched his little brother open a cabinet and pull out one of an infinite number of Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. He grabbed a dirty pot from the sink and thoroughly scrubbed it. "You didn't tell me you were coming."

"G sent me." Dino's smile wilted slightly as Giotto paused, startled, and continued what he was doing. "He told me a little bit over the phone, and said it'd be best if I checked up on you. As far as I can see, you've transformed into a – "

"A busy parent?" Giotto smile wryly and leaned into the sink to get a better look at his brother. "We got back from Shimon last night. Tsuna caught the flu once we came back."

"He told me why you were in Shimon. Well, mostly why." Dino removed the toweled bag of ice from his nose, slightly wincing from a forming bruise, and reached for the dish soap. "Cozart has a little brother, right? And G's fighting for custody over him?"

"Enma. As it turns out, the kid's been in hiding and Tsuna's his best friend. Things don't look good for him."

Things don't look good for you, either, little brother. Dino pushed the thought away, smile returning to his lips as Giotto sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Why don't you go shower? You look like you need one."

Actually it was kind of cute. Giotto gave him a look like he was a madman – or even worse – like the younger blond was a spoiled little kid that was being ripped away from his favorite toy. Judging by the large stains splattered on the floor, Dino had a feeling his job as a busy parent wasn't all that flattering. Taking care of Tsuna, however, was different. There was change in their relationship; Dino just couldn't place his finger on it. "I…okay. I feel kind of gross."

"I'll make the chicken soup for you." And like always, the younger Vongola's eyes doubled twice in size. Sure, going to shower while an accident-prone older brother was under his roof was risky, but going to shower while Dino was _cooking_ in a newly rented apartment meant total annihilation. At least, that's what the older brother figured Giotto was thinking.

"I can handle the soup just fine," Giotto murmured tiredly. "Thank you."

"Haha, alright." Dino smiled gingerly and replaced the bag of ice on his nose. "I'll behave just here, my cute little brother. Now go take that shower."

Though reluctant to leave the kitchen, the blond seemed more than eager to rid himself of the dirt and grime polluting his essence. Dino sat tidily, waited carefully until he heard the door shut and stumbled across the room. Oh, jeepers – where was Romario when he needed him?

"Careful," he chanted quietly as he opened a can of chicken noodle soup. Dino and can openers could go bad _really_ quickly if he didn't pay attention. Oh poopers – he rolled his eyes – they went bad even when he was paying attention! "Careful, careful, careful – _there._"

Quickly reading the instructions for how long to cook it over the stove, Dino poured the can drop-by-drop until the bowl was full and heated up the soup. A smile spread across his face and he hummed whatever song came to mind. He hadn't needed to take care of anyone in years. No matter how close they were in their childhood, Giotto and he still had their own friends. He reckoned these days when an ill Giotto was in bed, a Super G was there to his rescue.

Giotto didn't need him anymore. It was kind of depressing.

Ten minutes later, the blond took the pot off the stove (Success! No burning!) and poured the soup into the nearest bowl. Broth filled his nostrils, and the creak of a door opening caught his attention. Footsteps pounded the stairs so hard that Dino heard the _pound_ and slide of his younger brother as he crashed into something. Hmm, what happened to his suave, smooth and cute little brother? "Are you okay?"

"W-Who are you?"

Oh. Wrong little brother. Dino grabbed the oven mitts and bowl of soup before turning around.

Then saw the cutest little angel he'd ever set eyes upon.

Eyes the rich shade of caramel and chocolate. Tsunayoshi's skin was flushed with pink, rising from his neck to his cheeks, and his dark locks jutted into odd and awkward angles. Sweat matted the teenager's face, and different from his fervent flush was an embarrassed shade of red that accentuated his cheeks.

"Oh," Dino said delightedly. He grinned, absentmindedly scratching off caked blood on his upper lip. "Hi, Tsunayoshi! You're a lot taller than the last time I saw you!"

Oops, looks like he scared the boy. A look of unease passed across the brunet's face, brown eyes flashing slight fear until he blinked. "Y…You're Dino-nii –Dino-san, aren't you?"

Aw, he didn't get the adorable "niisan" the same way he called Tsunayoshi his cute otouto? Poo.

"I'm your older brother," agreed the blond. Red darkened his younger brother's complexion, and hesitantly, he stepped forward to the stool in front of the counter without a word. Dino decided it was his job to create conversation. "Well, I'm the _other_ older brother, hehe. How are you?"

The last time he saw the little scout, he was twelve. Eleven was when he found out the existence of Nana Sawada through his parents – and when they found out she was pregnant. At that age, he was always considered the rational one compared to Giotto, and he went with the flow. Giotto stayed behind with their mother (only nine at the time) and, excited, Dino rushed out to see him. Tsunayoshi now had more hair. And he wasn't a cute, wrinkly baby anymore, which was kinda cool.

"Fine." Though unlike Giotto, Tsunayoshi appeared to be very quiet. His eyes fell to the ground, and immediately his cheeks turned yet another shade of red when his stomach growled.

"Hungry, Tsunayoshi?" Dino chuckled. Looking through drawer-after-drawer, he finally found the silverware and handed the meal to the teenager. "This is for you. Giotto tells me you're getting over the flu."

Tsunayoshi nodded hesitantly and picked up his spoon. He looked a cautious puppy waiting for its owner to kick him.

"Tsunayoshi – ?"

"I-I go by Tsuna." His eyes fell to the ground, suddenly ready to recoil, and he shrank in his seat. "S…Sorry."

What was he expecting? Dino's smile slipped away, astonished while his younger brother looked like a measly speck in his sleep. Granted the teenager was sick, but he hadn't given the blond a chance since coming down the stairs. "Are you okay?"

Tsuna never answered. Footsteps on the stairs split the pair's attention, and both looked to the middle brother, who returned looking like his high, serious, and regal self. Giotto ran a hand through his hair, slightly grimacing. At the last stair step, they watched amber eyes look from brother-to-brother. Dino took note of the younger blond's face, and immediately all professionalism dropped into a decadent pink. Wait, Giotto was blushing?

Giotto was blushing! From the corner of his eye, Dino saw Tsuna smile a little. "You look nice."

Seconds passed, and it worried the eldest brother slightly. A contemplative look passed over the younger adult's face, and finally he shyly – Dino repeated, _shyly_ – smiled before acknowledging the pair. "I see you've met Dino. And Dino," the lighthearted tenor melted into one of slight mirth. Giotto gestured to something in his arm. "I found your cat."

"I was wondering where he was!" Dino clicked his tongue and clapped his hands. Instantly the small kitten slid from Giotto's arms, jumped onto the counter, an – and jumped onto Tsuna's lap. The teenager squeaked and dropped his spoon on the ground. "Oh, he already likes you."

"I-I…e-erm," cute little Tsuna's face dusted red. "Wh-What's his name?"

"Nuts," Giotto interjected.

Ah? Dino turned his head to the younger blond, slightly disappointed. Tsuna should have been the one who got to name him! "Why Nuts?"

"Because you're _nuts_ for buying him." Well, that was sorta true. Not many people got a pet for their birthdays unless a parent bought one.

"I like Nuts," whispered the brunet softly. "His head…s-sort of looks like a walnut."

"Ooh, it's fitting then." The blond smiled genuinely as the middle brother took slow steps to join them. "He's your birthday present."

"Birthday present?" Giotto repeated. "Your birthday's coming up, Tsuna?"

"No, silly." Dino smiled broadly and chuckled. "Your birthday was two weeks ago, right, little brother?"

"That's not possible." The younger blond stubbornly shook his head and looked over to their littlest. "Tsuna's only sixteen, right, Tsuna?"

"No…" Now this was getting weird. However Giotto had it set in his mind was untrue. He knew his brother could be bad with birthdays, but… "Tsuna's birthday is on the same day as G's, Giotto. Right?"

The teenager looked positively mortified – almost ready to cry, actually.

"Tsuna…?" That wasn't good.

"Tsuna," Giotto breathed. He relinquished a short sigh, hands massaging the brunet's shoulders. Dino watched, but not once in his lifetime had he ever seen the other Vongola brother's brow wrinkle so tenderly with concern. The creases of his sleeves ruined as he folded them to his elbows and closed what little space there was between him and the youngest. "You still feeling a little feverish? You could have stayed in bed; I would have brought the soup up to you."

"I'm…fine…"

"No, you're not." That was another thing – when did Giotto's voice crack whenever he spoke? "I-I should go buy your prescription…"

"No really, it's…I-I'm…"

"Giotto's right when he says you need to stay in bed, kiddo. Dino looked between the two younger brothers with a bright smile, feeling oddly unsettled. Benevolent as he was, Giotto normally hid his concern under witty banter and though shy, Tsuna melted like caramel to a shell of chocolate once the younger blond set foot in the kitchen. "I can watch him while you run to the pharmacist, little brother."

Instantaneously the other blond's face lost color.

"Aw, what's the worst that could happen?" Dino flashed a cheerful grin and leaned over until he was the height of their youngest. Tsuna watched curiously but said nothing. "You used to get sick all the time, little brother. If the maids weren't taking care of you, then I was. I can handle it."

"I," Giotto murmured hesitantly, "have no doubt that you could take care of Tsuna. But…"

"I won't touch anything." Aw, come on! He was twenty-eight and three-quarters! He could absotively, posilutely take care of the littlest! "_Pleeeaase?" _

"…don't touch anything." Giotto's poker face was comically marred by the sweet pink accentuating the highlights of his cheeks. "Go ahead and watch TV, but don't throw it. Don't fling anything in the house, even playfully, watch your step when you walk – _wear shoes whenever you go up the stairs –_ and – actually, Tsuna, stay downstairs. Don't cook anything."

"The usual." Dino dawned a smile. "But isn't the pharmacy only a ten minute drive?"

"Ten minutes is all it takes to burn down a building."

"Ooh. Right."

Giotto had the habit of running a hand through his hair when he was stressed. He was definitely stressed. Frown wavering a little, he cast a worried look to the brunet. Again, Dino became an audience when Giotto escaped down a hallway and appeared with a comforter and pillow. Hmm, for someone who moved into a new apartment not too long ago, he knew his way around really well. Tsuna stood up, alarmed, but the other simply laid them out on the couch. "You think you can handle a little time on the couch?"

"I have for the past few months." Tsuna turned pink. The blond only laughed.

"Good little brother. Dino – you're paying for anything you break." He flashed one last warning look before striding out the door. Once it slammed shut, Tsuna crawled into his makeshift bed and Dino watched.

"You two are on better terms than I remember." The last he remembered, Giotto leered at just the slightest mention of their half-brother. While Dino did value their family, he understood Iemitsu's happiness compared to Mother throwing herself into work. The news of their separation and divorce simply shattered the younger blond, and for seventeen years, Tsuna became the source of blame.

Chocolate brown eyes rose until they met Dino's, and through the weariness flickered a different emotion: admiration. Red fluttered under Tsuna's feverish blush, and a gentle smile curtsied his lips. "We've come to an understanding."

"Really?" Dino debated on grabbing a stool, then plopped onto the loveseat. Giotto's personality was like two sides of one coin: stubborn, hardworking and ambitious to lighthearted, whimsical, and mischievous. He valued both his family and friends, and Tsuna was molded into a disruption in his world. "Has he given you a hard time?"

Tsuna closed his eyes and shook his head. "Not recently. B-But I thought th-that…y-you were going to yell at me."

That would be why the brunet barely looked at him when they first crossed each other. _Oh…_

"Nope." A fervent smile spread across the blond's face, and he looked to the sweet, timid that bashfully scrutinized him. Brown eyes. They had the same brown eyes. "Giotto has always had a firm belief in stability. He has to know that the situation won't get out of hand. I go with the flow."

The brunet held a contemplative look. Red swelled in his cheeks and he buried himself under the polka dot duvet. "So…you don't hate me?"

Dino's face softened immediately. His heart wrenched – _hate_? Not even Giotto would have used a word like that. …Right? Well, he smiled. Not anymore, if the way Giotto was doting over the little guy proved anything. "When I first found out our father was seeing your mother, I was confused. But seeing you, at the hospital inside the basinet – you were the cutest baby I've ever seen. I've loved you since you were born, just like I love Giotto."

Tsuna's eyes widened. His brow furrowed, and he looked away, pink spiking up his neck.

"Tsuna?"

"Nothing," said the teenager quickly. "I just…I-I never th-thought…that…I'd ever get that."

Dino blinked. "Get what?"

"Get love," Tsuna whispered, "from your side of the family."

Aw. The blond chuckled softly and ruffled hair. He reached for the remote over the teenager, quickly turning the TV on, and smiled softly. "Get some sleep, little guy. Maybe I can convince the other big brother to take us out for ice cream, hm?"

Giotto as a big brother. Huh. Almost nothing as cute.

"O…Okay." He returned with a timid smile and yawned.

"Hehe. Alrighty."

"D…Dino-san?" San. Ooh, he got a san!

"Yeah?"

For a moment, the brunet rose in his spot and curled his hands into the blanket. "A…All my life, I…n-never thought that I'd measure up to your standards. But…living here with Giotto and in Namimori...makes me happy. I'm glad you and Giotto are my big brothers."

"Tsuna…" B'aw, now he couldn't help it! As his mind processed the thought, Dino walked across the living room and enveloped his baby brother in a tight hug. Tsuna flinched before hugging back, and smiled. "That's very sweet of you to say. Now, get to sleep. Giotto's already worried sick."

"O…Okay." With a bit of hesitation, the teenager pulled away from the elder brother. He tucked himself firmly under the blankets and shut his eyes. Once Dino was sure the teenager was famasleep, he pulled away and returned to the loveseat. Well. That explained a lot.

Quite frankly, they should have seen it coming. Dino scratched his ear and crinkled his nose. Tsuna had known for years that he came from a broken family. He didn't know much about Shimon, but it was enough to destroy the poor boy's self-confidence. Having Giotto take care of Tsuna really wasn't a good idea.

Tsuna teaching Giotto how to love and nurture made the world go 'round.

He smiled – jeebus, he was certainly doing that a lot – and pulled out his laptop. A sigh escaped his lips and the blond ran a hand through his hair. Later he would have to contact Romario for business files. Unfortunately, Cavallone Industries took second priority to his brothers – but since Giotto was gone… A frown firmly contorted his lips. The look in Giotto's eyes, lost and confused, worried him. Once Tsuna was in bed, Dino and he needed to have a word with one another.

The problem was different. Giotto's sanity took months to recover, and the way he described things was disturbing. No one got away with hurting his little brothers.

'cause, you know. Big brothers understood little brothers in a way that not a lover could. Loyalty was blood-thick, and forever in his heart Cozart would remain a hero. He already was one.

The sound of keys in the door made Dino check his watch. Twenty minutes had gone by since Giotto had left. Hm, since none of them could cook, they probably should've ordered dinner, too. "Hey, Giotto! What do you feel about pizza to – "

"Boss, we needed to - …" He knew that voice. By the Gods, Dino knew the voice that strummed violins, that was as violent as a blizzard and soft like snow.

He looked up, eyes locking to the door, where the man with absolutely breathtaking icy blue eyes and thin lips stood. He had the physique of a nimble crane, the long, slender fingers of an artist's – and still managed to kick his ass like he was a lady bug on his shoulder.

"Alaude – ?" The door slammed shut, and the gorgeous creature Dino'd fallen for years before left his life again. He must have spent hours wondering why Alaude was so well-acquainted with his little brother before giving up.

No one ever said their rejection wasn't mutual.

OoOoO

"_Hey."_

"Hey," Giotto responded once he was in the elevator. All the air escaped his lungs, and for a moment he noticed he was leaning onto the back wall for support. He stood in empty space, and because Tsuna and he now lived on the very top floor, the blond highly doubted there would be people every time they ventured to the first floor. "You find an apartment?"

"_Still looking,"_ G confessed. _"At the doctor's right now for Enma's checkup._"

"How's he doing?"

"_Well, from the looks of it, Doctor Nowaki recommended I let him and Enma discuss things in private. If all goes well, he should be prepped for surgery tomorrow." _

"Good." The elevator stopped at least three times since his phone call with his best friend. The blond checked his wristwatch and lowered his voice. "Why did you send Dino over?"

"_Isn't it obvious?"_ No hesitation. Once he finished his sentence, all the adult heard from his best friend was static and an obnoxious CLANG_. "H-Hey! Kid, a-are you okay? !"_

Hm. Things were apparently going well.

"Should I call you back?" More rustles and rattles. A smile curtsied the blond's lips, and he found himself at wit's end waiting for the sounds to stop. On the other hand, hearing G have a heart attack with every little action of the Red Munchkin reminded him of when they were younger. Seeing cautious, loyal G again made his heart flutter.

"_Er, no. You sound stressed – hey Kid, wanna get some ice cream after this?"_ Well, weren't _we_ attentive? _"Alright then. What about you, Giotto? Tsuna giving you any trouble?" _

"Tsuna isn't the one who would give me trouble." Only five minutes at the door earlier that day and Dino bloodied his floor – which didn't matter. Giotto had dropped plenty soups in the kitchen and it simply meant they would have to mop up all the stains once Tsuna was better. "He's come down with the flu, though."

"_The flu? Is everything alright? Did you give him any medicine? Call Knuckle?"_

"I'm going to the pharmacist to get his prescription right now." Giotto arched an eyebrow, amused, and exited the elevator once they reached the first floor. What he didn't expect was to find Hayato-kun chatting with that girl, Kyoko, in the lobby. Once green eyes caught sight of the other half-Italian, Hayato excused himself and came to Giotto's side. Fervent pink accentuated the boy's pale cheeks and Giotto bit back a laugh.

"Giotto-san!" The silver-haired teenager's face lit up like a Christmas tree and he smiled brightly before revealing the box tucked under his arm. "I-I brought you a housewarming gift! At first, I wasn't sure if this was your apartment, but then I pestered G, and – "

"_Is my boy over there?" _

"'Your boy'?" Giotto cracked a grin. "When did Hayato-kun become 'your boy'?"

"_He's enough my boy if he insists on raiding __**my**__ fridge for __**my**__ beer." _

"Are you talking to G?" The smile on Hayato's face disappeared, replaced with a blue frown. Giotto found himself the bologna between his phone and Hayato tackling him _for_ his phone. "You fucking drunkard! Where am I supposed to get my beer _now_? You know Asari-san's got a personal vendetta against me!"

"_What personal vendetta? For as long as I remember, you've whined every time my roommate occupies Takeshi-kun's time._"

"Th-That's a lie!" What was this? Hayato was turning red? Oh, that was normal.

"_Ah, looks like the checkup is over. Doctor Nowaki is going to give me a prognosis on the events. Tell Alaude I'll be calling him soon." _

"Alright. Bye." Giotto raised the phone out of the silver-haired teenager's ability to reach and took a step back. His eyes narrowed, and he regained the persona of a business man despite his amusement to Hayato's declaration for vengeance. "You can let go of me now, Hayato-kun."

"O-Oh, uh. S-Sorry, Giotto-san!" The hothead backed away, immediately alarmed and apparently worried about offending 'The Great One.' "Th-This is a housewarming present! A-And I brought all of the notes that the Tenth has missed while he was away for Kozato!"

Oh, that was good. His other option was to personally visit Reborn, and that was a road he'd rather not tread. "Tsuna's got the flu. I'm going to the pharmacy right now to get his medicine."

"I…I could watch him if you want." The teenager sounded positively eager.

"My brother's in town, so he's babysitting." Then again…taking into consideration Dino's lack of coordination skills – "You can try and explain the homework to him. I'll probably forget to give him his assignments by the time I get back."

"You have a brother? There's a Big Giotto?" Now the look he was getting was kind of creepy.

"Are you familiar with Cavallone Industries – ?"

"Dino Vongola is your brother? ! W-Well, I can see where he's your brother, since his last name is Vongola, but – _Dino Vongola_?" Apparently Dino was a bigger celebrity than Giotto was. "He took up his grandmother's business when he was the heir to the Vongola fortune and rid Cavallone of all of their debts! They're one of the top leading companies _in the world_!"

"Well, he goes by Dino Cavallone – "

"O-Of course, he's nothing _compared to you_, Giotto-san!" Hayato had become so nervous he was now babbling in Italian. For a kid who moved to Japan when he was five, he was certainly very fluent. More than Enma, even. "You became a business owner just entering college – and you navigated it _worldwide!_ And other companies would _kill_ to be like you – and everyone loves you, and – god, you're my idol!"

For someone who claimed to be eternally straight, Hayato had one hell of a man crush.

Giotto smiled slightly and patted the teenager on his shoulder. "Thanks, Hayato-kun. But seriously – I've got to get going."

He looked like a baby that was just denied his favorite food. In a flip instant, the hothead bounced back with a delighted grin. "Okay, Giotto-san. I'll just make sure that Sawada learns his lessons."

"It's the penthouse on the top floor. Be careful."

"Okay!"

Once that was said and done, Giotto ran a hand through his hair and walked toward the door –

"Is Tsuna-kun okay?"

Rats. The blond looked down and found himself eye-to-eye with the girl from earlier. She appeared with a look in her eyes that was absolutely sincere, and he vaguely reminded himself that Tsuna claimed to be gay. Then again, the crossroad between manhood and childhood involved a solid sliver of awkward, teenage years. Kyoko was in a school uniform, apparently just getting home, but Giotto couldn't help but compare her to a little princess. Small and dainty, delicate and gentle.

"He'll be fine," Giotto smiled.

She quickly lowered her gaze, and red sprinkled in her cheeks. Looking back up, she appeared unfazed and gestured to the elevator. "May I go see him?"

Something tugged at his chest, and it was a cautious warning that Giotto shouldn't lead the poor girl on. He could see her crush from a mile away. "If you want to."

"You said your brother is visiting, right?" The redhead's lips curled into a perfect smile and she clasped her hands together. "I can cook dinner for you three."

Oh, right. Giotto preferred not burning down his new apartment before their first week was set and done. "I'd rather you not put your efforts into cooking for just us. We're your new neighbors after all."

"You can come over and eat with us, if you want." She had a charm that commonly wooed the typical teenage boy; from the innocent demeanor to her soft tone and her perfect complexion. She would have been the type of woman Celeste expected him to marry. "Tonight? I'll tell Mama that you're coming."

Seeing he wouldn't win this argument, Giotto relinquished. "Casual, dressy, or dressy-casual?"

"Ah, dressy casual, I would think. Since you're the new neighbors and all." Kyoko smiled dearly, obviously delighted. She bowed with enviable grace and backed toward the elevator. "Come over at eight?"

"Okay."

Giotto flashed a gentle smile and was out the door before anyone else could interrupt him. The smile on his face wavered, struggling to keep in place, and he rummaged for his keys, thoughts appropriating to his big brother. It wasn't that he disliked the clumsy twit; quite the opposite. Dino was the best big brother he could asked for – kind, gentle, and enough of a pushover that the younger blond could get away with most things.

He was a natural when it came to Tsuna. Immediately, Dino seized the boy, and he fell into the role of big brother. When it was G, G was endearing. His best friend never felt assured unless he was the one nurturing, and Giotto was grateful when Tsuna first came. However, Dino was his own flesh and blood, and…Giotto was jealous. _Absotively, posilutely_ jealous.

Measuring up to Dino as a big brother was impossible. Especially after Tsuna and he had inconsolable differences when first put together. He was prepared for a rebellious teenager, but time and time again proved that the brunet still managed to beat his heart – _hard._

And…th-that…kiss. God, he hadn't gotten laid in two weeks. His fingers gripped the wheel violently, and he nearly ran over some little kid on a tricycle.

It wasn't the best kiss he'd ever had. Tsuna's lips brushed across his, and already he wasn't sure if he could ever look at the teenager in the same light ever again, but it felt more like his _brother_ hit him teeth-on-teeth than an actual kiss. He doubted the brunet ever kissed another person – especially if that not-kiss really _was_ a kiss. Tsuna held the image of_ shy_ and _cute_ far better than Kyoko did.

Fortunately the look on his brother's face once he sobered appeared one of confusion. If the brunet had any recollection of the incident, he hid it very well.

Not that Tsuna was good at lying. A smile tugged on the blond's lips as he parked the car. Tsuna wore his heart on his sleeve, and his smile was more beautiful than the horizon in the sky.

He thought back to the conversation shared with Shouichi_. "Your relationship with him is just confusing. You first arrived, comfortably invading one another's personal space, and because of...wh-what had just happened, I assumed you two were lovers."_

Lovers. _Lovers_!

How ridiculous was that? Giotto clicked his tongue, barely registering when he gave the pharmacist the prescription recommended and debated. Ever since their relationship improved, he'd become more affectionate with his little brother. Hugging, kissing on the forehead, holding hands…

Everything you did as a new couple in love. Oh, God. This was his fault.

Giotto ran a hand through his hair, fingers playing with the corners of his cell phone as he waited for the lady to return. From the corner of his eye, he could see the sun preparing to set and read the time to be a quarter to six. While he was flamboyant and expressive in Italy, France, Spain, and whatever other country he visited, Tsuna was reserved like the rest of Japan. Not only was Tsuna shy, but Giotto's nature was more of a tender lover. Was Tsuna aware of this? That he was just being himself? Maybe.

It wouldn't kill him to back off a little. Less hugs, less kisses…

Giotto flushed. _Of_ _course it wouldn't be a problem, now that he was wary of every move he made in front of the little guy. Thanking_ the pharmacist, he tucked the medicine under his arm and wandered through the rest of the corner store to clear his thoughts. The large sign reading _Pet Essentials_ made him stop.

That was another thing, he thought with a frown. Dino knew Tsuna's birthday where Giotto did not. But…why didn't Tsuna tell him?

A sigh escaped his lips, and the adult searched the aisle for any essentials. Nuts was a gift, and knowing his brother, Dino most likely didn't plan ahead. Grabbing a cart and pulling out his phone, Giotto checked for the needed essentials – a cat bed, a litter box, kitty litter, scratching post, food bowl, water bowl, cat carrier, flea control, worming control, grooming products, first aid kit, and…health books.

Nuts was an odd shade of golden yellow when he first set eyes on it. It couldn't have been more than a few weeks or months old, judging by its naiveté and small form, but still he looked like the runt of the litter. Giotto wasn't familiar with cat breeds, but the one Dino brought in particular looked pure-bred. He was a little worried; Nuts looked a little underfed. Most cats were cunning and mischievous, but this one was reclusive. He had a feeling Dino saved him from the pound or something.

Grabbing two or three cat toys for Nuts to play with, Giotto looked at his cart and rolled his eyes. When had he succumb to his brother's will? The information disappeared from the screen on his phone and a number he didn't recognize blinked obnoxiously to his default ringtone. "Hello?"

"_Nufufu~_ _Il mio amore!" _

Daemon. He froze, hand gripping his phone as his throat dried. How the hell did he get his number?

"_I can hear you breathing, love. You look awfully cute in the pet aisle." _

What? Giotto's eyes looked up to down to left and right before giving up. Daemon was only trying to scare him. "How did you get my number?"

"_I know it by heart."_

"Liar." He changed it after Daemon left.

"_I'm simply saying you and I should get together sometime. For tea and crumpets, love. Don't throw a hissy fit, nufufu."_

"Then – "

"_Have fun at your dinner party with the Sasagawas, love. I'll see you in two and a half weeks for Enma's custody battle. Ciao~" _The line went dead. Giotto's fingers had numbed to a dizzying white, and he gripped the cart for support.

Stupid Daemon. Stupid, _stupid_ good for nothing Daemon.

Where was he getting at? Giotto's hand shook, and rationality soon left.

With no other choice, he saved the phone number for future use. It was the only way he could keep in contact with his once lover.

OoOoO

"I think I like Yamamoto."

Uh. Tsuna looked up from the text book in his lap, lightheaded and still confused on polynomials and logarithms. He had a feeling Reborn-sensei specifically chose the _hard_ lessons because he was out of town. The Dino-san he had met earlier was now quiet, and once Gokudera-kun appeared at their doorstep, the older brother excused himself. Dino-san, from what Tsuna could tell, was close to nothing like Giotto, yet absolutely his clone.

It was nice.

H-However, when Gokudera-kun appeared at his door, and just _now_, when he said…_that_, Tsuna was caught off guard. He blew hair out of his face and pretended not to hear the other teenager.

"Did you hear me?"

"D-Do you really wanna talk to _me_ about this?"

"I was kind of hoping you would be drugged up so you wouldn't fucking remember this." Drugged up? What did he mean by that?

Looking up from his text book again, Tsuna caught the hothead absorbed in his work. Or so it looked. Heat had risen up the taller's neck, and his ears were bright red. Tsuna gulped. "Don't you…have anyone else you wanna talk about this to – ?"

"No. You're my only fucking alternative, _okay_?" Gokudera jolted from his seat in Tsuna's desk and the brunet flinched. "Do you wanna have a talk about my mushy-pushy feelings or not? !"

_Mushy-pushy?_ "Okay! L-Let's talk about your m-mushy-pushy feelings!"

"Well, I don't want to now!"

"O-Okay!"

Silence. Tsuna gulped, pleading to all the gods to get him out of here. _Or somewhere with witnesses, if he decides to kill me later._

"It just all makes sense, you know?"

No, not really. "I-I've been stuck on this problem, actually." Math wasn't his forte, and Reborn-sensei definitely scared the crap out of him. Unfortunately he was also Tsuna's favorite, since everyone else was a madman.

"Fuck, I know you have been. You've ben on my case about it this entire time, and I still disagree with you. This incident is crap." Incident? When were they on English? "And then…bah, I fucking kissed him, and…"

"Hie? You kissed the mathbook?"

"Math boo– what the hell?"

"Aren't we talking about math?"

"Talking about – I'M SPILLING MY MUSHY-PUSHY HEART TO YOU AND ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS MATH?" He was gone for almost a week, he needed the help! Tsuna recoiled, ready to hide under the sheets, and used his book as a shield. "FINE! YOU FACTOR OUT X-CUBED FIRST, AND THEN FACTOR IT OUT _AGAIN_, THEN YOU EITHER GRAPH A CURVE, WIGGLE, OR A BOUNCE!"

"Eek! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Tsuna ducked, repeating the words over and over like it was a mantra before Gokudera finally calmed down. "S-So you said you l-like him, right? !"

"Yes! Of course I fucking like him, I've known him since we were little kids! We're fucking _best friends_, and I'm probably in love with the fucking idiot, too! But you wouldn't care because all your mind is on is your stupid fucking makeup work!" Gokudera huffed, and the bed bounced when he collapsed on the mattress. Oh, dear. Where was Yamamoto when he needed him? "Now don't fucking tell him that!"

Silence. Nothing but silence.

"I-I'm really happy for you."

"You shouldn't be, because this whole confession never happened!"

Gah. Tsuna sniffled and shyly smiled behind his book. "S-So…wh-what are you going to do about it?"

"Absolutely nothing, because this confession _never happened._" Now the hothead was just acting like a child. Tsuna waited, unsure what to say, and it ended with a pale blush across white cheeks.

"A-And if it did?"

"Absolutely nothing – " Tsuna readily cowered under a pillow. " — because…he's happy. And if the big lug's happy, then I don't care."

"D…" His eyebrows furrowed. As noble as that was, it sounded painful coming from the other teenager. He'd known Gokudera the past few months as the warrior who would do anything for his friends, and too stubborn to admit when he was wrong. He could have been wrong, b-but Gokudera's confession was l-like a milestone. "Don't you think he'd be happy with you?"

Silence.

"A…After all, he's been chasing you for months now, a…and….he's been in love with you since you were kids. R…Right?"

Silence. Then – "Tch…I came here to help you with your homework, Tenth. If you're not going to shut up and help me, then I'm leaving. See you on Monday – get well soon."

B-But he didn't know _how_ to do the homework… Tsuna quirked an eyebrow, but had no clue what to say. He stood up from the bed and followed the other teenager to the door. Gokudera remained silent the entire time, but the look on his face was one of defeat. The hothead lost his ammunition, and it was obvious while Tsuna was gone, something had happened. Wait, they kissed. Gokudera and Yamamoto kissed? !

Tsuna crinkled his nose, mind whirling as he trotted upstairs. Somehow…it was fine.

Shimon was a small town where everyone knew each other. There were small convenient stores and a movie theater, but you would have to go to the neighboring city to see anything. When Enma obnoxiously pointed out because Tsuna never hung out with women he was most likely gay, he'd been noticing things more. Everyone back in Shimon (as far as he knew) was straight. Coming to Namimori, he heard stories of G's escapades, saw more of Alaude and Giotto's body than he wanted, and witnessed a relationship between Yamamoto and Gokudera. It was…pleasant. Nice.

Yamamoto was silly and easygoing where Gokudera was terse and shy. They complimented each other, and the chemistry between them as friends was magical. One would have called them brothers, but the truth was, they acted like a married couple with the "fun" husband and the "busybody" wife.

He was happy for them. All he hoped for was to find a relationship like those two.

Unfortunately he still couldn't grasp the concept of Mister Right. Having someone like Yamamoto by his side was like having an excitable puppy. Yamamoto was an eager Akita that would probably lick and drown him in saliva. Gokudera w-was...a grumpy, princess kitten. Nuts was sweet, but Gokudera was more likely to claw his eyes out.

That was probably why they could suit each other. Gokudera could scratch Yamamoto, but the athlete's tolerance was too thick to affect him. For Tsuna, however… Red singed his cheeks as he plopped onto the bed. G filled in like the big brother he never had. Doting and caring, G-san made him feel comfortable. Enma was out of the question, and…a relationship like Alaude-san and Giotto's was ridiculous.

Giotto, he thought more carefully as he fingered his belly button, was different than most cases. Talking to Dino earlier made him realize how different they were, and what methods. He feared Dino would hate him, but the adult proved opposite. He was kind and caring to begin with, and Giotto… Giotto was gentle-hearted and benevolent. His smile made the sun rise, and his warmth was riveting.

Tsuna wasn't worthy of having a lover like Giotto. If one existed. No one could match those lustrous, gorgeous eyes. A chill ran up the teenager's spine, and heat kissed his skin. Giotto's beautifully sculpted face and breathtaking voice in his ear. There wasn't a person in the world who knew how to compliment his emotions, or…or hold him protectively.

He slid a hand down the hem of his PJ pants and bit his lip. A lover like Giotto…warm, and kind. Someone who smelled like mint chocolate chip ice cream, and fit him like a bun to a hot dog. Tsuna clutched his erection in a sweaty palm and it squealed in delight. H-He hadn't done this since…Sh-Shimon. Months ago, before Giotto and he began living with each other.

Any thought came to mind; from the way Giotto's hair always looked like he just got laid, or the lazy sex grin that often graced his lips – t_he one who showed no one else_. Even back to the beginning when they first met, when the vivid flush rose from Giotto's chest to his jaw and – _O-Oh G…G-God…_

"Tsuna, you need to get ready for – " He didn't hear the door downstairs unlock. He didn't bother locking the door because he knew he was the only one home. All his thoughts were on Giotto – and now his brother was standing at his door.

O-Oh G-God.

Giotto was frozen. Tsuna came.

**Author's Note: **

So, I'm not sure if I'll raise the story to M just yet. I feel like I'll probably get complaints that they aren't having sex once new readers catch up to this chapter, and I made it as not-detailed as possible. xD;; You guys can decide that for me. Also – yeah, Tsuna at the end is _definitely_ not a normal light you see him in. I couldn't have written him in character for that even if I tried. What, do you want me to make him whimper? Anyway, a lot of you explained why you freaked out about a hiatus, and…well, I still disagree with you, but w/e. Thank you for reaching 1000 reviews for me; I'm so honored and I love every single one of you! And one question I might end up getting: "Why did you name him Nuts instead of Natsu?" I wanted to say his head was shaped like a peanut or a walnut, and that would be a cute reason.

Anyway – do any of you have an msn account for windows live? I'd love to talk to you. C: Reviews would be nice!


	22. sex education and dinner parties

**Lireach **xD The fact people always say drugged up Tsuna is so cute always worries me. "Famasleep" is an ugly typo that I didn't notice. **Stormypeach1396 **That was a flashback that took place five years ago – it says so a little further into reading. **SoulReaper Rukia **That's fine. C: Thanks for the review. **xRynnX **Haha, that's cute. And it's okay – don't worry. C: Gokudera and Yamamoto needed a little appearance, is all. And this strikes the beginning of how Gokudera finally follows him around like a lost puppy. C': **Freakin-little **I-Pin and Fuuta – I have a surprise for them much, _much_ later in the story. Then, yeah. I guess you could say Tsuna's being way more daring than you would think he could be. Dino's just adorable – while I didn't capture manga!Him, I was hoping I captured a him that was still cute. **Shakugan no Shana **Rape is blegh. I don't think I ever could. I stopped watching KHR when they announced they were ending at the future arc. D; **DarkRoadHina **Dino's adorable. C': **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **I wouldn't call it a creepy fangirl. ** AtierxC **Haha, thank you very much. C: **HiKaRi-ChIbI **we'll have to wait and see. C: Enjoy the next chapter! **Love Fran **Haha. Gokudera's adorable. **Meow Mixtape **I love Dino. xD He's so dorky. **crobhdearg **Nuts is actually what he's called in the manga. Sooo. Yeah. **Nekoboy44 **People complaining about "that" really has bugged me. I dunno, reviews this time round stressed me out more than usual. **Mesonoxian **Si. **The RPers HELL group. **Mmhmm. C: Thanks for the review! **xryuchan27 **Another way to look at it is, he's with his "family", so technically, he's pretty graceful. C': **Narutopokefan **Just wait and see~ **Suzuru Seiyo **Haha, enjoy this chapter. C: You sounded like you got into the last one. **TsunaxGiotto4ever **Haha, that's funny. xD My best friend knows I like yaoi, but I still try to do no more than crack a smile whenever I'm reading these. **Mel-Chama **Exactly. xD Alaude's mentioned quite a few times in this chapter. I tried to make him as cute, adorable, and _brotherly_ as possible. And I keep forgetting about Nuts. He's somewhere in the house. xD **Plushiepaw **Haha, don't worry. xD The only time I'm not talkative is when I'm drawing. C': **honey-vanilla11 **No, he didn't. I suggest rereading that part for it to make sense. C': **Dremagon **I'm~ not going to answer that question. Aha. Enjoy this chapter. C':**ezcap1st **You'll have to see. **Kichou **And where have _you_ been? c': **FaerieDemon **Of course not. xD He was stupidly thinking of someone _like_ Giotto. C': And I haven't really been able to talk about Gokudera (or Yamamoto's) feelings in a while. The next few chapters are gonna be solely on Tsuna and Giotto. And yeah, Dino may be there for Giotto – in more ways than one. C': **monkeydluffynaruto **That cracked me up. You have no idea. xD **Cattwo28 **Nah. The thing is, a lot of reviews have been really offensive to me lately. You're not the only one. xD; I'm sure I've lost my touch with this story, so it's okay. And yeah, you can PM your msn to me. That sounds fun. C': **df14-blacksnow **1. No I did not know. 2. Haha, that's fine. The summary isn't exactly an attention grabber. 3. Haha, I hope you passed. 4. I keep forgetting to put their tutoring session in there. xD At this rate we might not get much of him. 5. Really now? I have to say that I pretty much messed with Giotto's character in the past few chapters. It gets back into the swing of things a little bit later. 6. Nope, didn't know that. I'm glad you do though. C': 7. Haha. Don't you just love when that happens? 8. That's not healthy. 9. Hehe. I want cake. 10. That's really flattering of you to say, thank you so much. C': **pokermaniac039 **Enjoy this chapter! **Horizons Fanfare **It's actually Nuts. That's what the translation and what Amano confirmed I'm pretty sure. xD **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Everyone's calling it a confession. It's a little odd. xD **LuckyStarWitch **Um, no offense, but your review stressed me out a lot. You may not be doing it on purpose, but the review came off as really rude to me. I don't want to hurt your feelings or lash out at you – but as I write this, I'm racking my brain trying to make it sound as neutral as possible. **KChoco **Haha, that sounds cute. xD Someone said something about Enma in an S&M outfit and whipping him. It was. Odd. **Anello di Tempesta **There were a lot of funny parts in this one. xD they made me laugh. **Mina Hikari **There are a lot of coincidences in the story. xD It's really fun and interesting. **Linda31 **People have been saying that, but I also think it's just a different taste not many people are used to. So…yeah. **LaCremeLaVanille **The chapter was pretty scrambled everywhere. xD **yamiatemyugi **It'll be interesting. I do love this chapter a lot, actually. xD And yeah, I suggest rreading the chapter. **Breathless02 **Well. The development's gotta be realistic. I have more in mind, after all. **Ackerman's letter **Haha, that sounds like something I would do, actually. xD **pamellka **That chapter was pretty fun to write. xD Dino's relationship with Tsuna is so different from Giotto's that it's supposed to be a foil. **Ophianara Blade **Really now? We've got required subjects, but that's about it. **Hilei **Haha. Maybe you've just gotten really into the story? xD That's the only explanation I can think of. **Hanori Shiki **Dino's just adorkable. xD I see him as, that's where Tsuna gets his personality, only he's ten times shyer. **Rainbowbubble **It's an odd cliffhanger. xD I had fun writing the next chapter, no lie. And, maybe. We'll see what happens **Kanberry **Really now? Tsuna's got a fever, so that's probably why. **Fan girl 666 **Yupp. **Eyes17K **Haha. We'll see, now won't we? **Hermajni **Haha, you're actually the first person to wonder if he'll join Tsuna and have an orgie or something. xD **LivingGlow **That's good. C': **AAAA **Gokudera is just…odd. xD I do love him. You surprised me a little bit with the smut thing – but I can see how. It won't end up like His Royal Highness Owns a Frog. Though I don't know in which aspect you're insisting. xD **A **I'm beginning to wonder if you and AAAA are just the same reviewers. xD I wouldn't be surprised. **Linnie-lit **Haha. Yeah. **StaplerPrincessofDoom **I was wondering where you were. C': I'm actually not really into Asian music, soo… xD **FalseMoon **I actually don't want to touch on the AlaudeD18 aspect just yet. xD **KarnivalKun **Haha. Technically this chapter is two days early. Soo. Yeah. xD I know what you mean. The character is solely the author's interpretation, but masturbation is something that will never be touched in KHR. I could make him into bondage and it wouldn't really matter. :B **Red-gold-pink-yellow **Oh really now? xD Kyoko plays a big part in this story – almost as big as Daemon. **ZirciX **Haha, that's a good thing. xD And thank you. **Cheesey **Gokudera and Yamamoto's relationship is an odd one. xD I can't wait about writing them getting together. **iLoli **Haha, oh really now? A lot of people don't like 8059; it's pretty depressing on my part. **PurpleBlue23 **I actually…don't read a lot of Tsuna-related stories. xD Nothing gets my interest because his character is always captured poorly 9/10 of the time. I think a lot of word-garbage comes out of Gokudera's mouth without him even realizing. xD **L.L **Haha. Enjoy. **Seriyuu **We'll see. xD **Okuri Soji **Really? xD That's pretty funny. And yeah, I'm sixteen and try to find time to update this story once a week. **Funnyhappyday **People actually ask that during Truth or Dare? xD That's so odd. And yeah, it's a story I'm working on based around the seven sins. I love my lead male. **Abg31 **Haha, it's sort of one of those WOOP THERE IT IS moments. So it's all good. The sex scenes – I've had two people say that they weren't particularly fans of smut. xD I've been planning to write it for a long while, but not at this very moment. And thanks. You made me smile for the first time while replying to these reviews. **Sonicfreak68 **Haha. They have a email-messenger, I think. I've used it before. I'm funny? I don't really try to be, I just kinda call it witty writing. xD; But thank you. I'm not much of a funny writer. **Copycat-capycot **You know, when you reviewed Blueprints and not this one, I wasn't sure if you caught the update. xD And thanks, that was the point – a complete stranger taking a look at two brothers who act a little more than brothers. **Boo I scare you **Thank you very much! That's pretty much of a big jump right there; hope I didn't scare you. xD **KarinMaaka07 **Oh really now? xD that's funny. **KonataIzumi1 **Don't worry; I do love D18, but handling Alaude x Dino is completely different. For one thing, one isn't about seven years younger than the other and has a bit more life experience. Hibari comes into play quite a bit though. Haru hasn't showed up in a while. I should look into that. C':

**chapter twenty-two has **sex education and dinner parties.

His eyes were playing a trick on him.

At least, that was what Giotto immediately thought as he took in the sight of his brother. The moment he readily barged into the brunet's room, he hadn't even looked at his brother. When he heard the sounds and the soft _fapfapfap_, however, he looked up in worry that the flu was getting worse.

Then Tsuna came. He would have thought his cute little brother was incapable of cumming. Giotto hastily shut the door and stumbled back, quickly burning all images of his brother masturbating from his mind.

Masturbating. He just caught his little brother _masturbating._

The blond rushed down stairs, adrenaline still catching him off guard as he nearly tripped over Nuts before colliding head-on-head with Dino. "Ow! Giotto – ?"

"What did you do when you caught me for the first time?" God, why couldn't he wrap his mind around this? Oh. Because it was _Tsuna_, and _Tsuna_ was _masturbating._ Before he knew it, Dino pulled him onto the loveseat, confusion on his face while Giotto tried to catch up with his thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

"I just caught Tsuna m-masturbating." God, he couldn't even say the word without freaking out. Giotto looked to his brother, desperate for answers, and found he'd startled the poor guy. Obviously he wasn't expecting _that_ particular explanation.

"Er."

"Er?"

"Well…" Dino smiled nervously and scratched his head. "Tsuna is seventeen, Giotto. Most boys start experimenting at a young age and it just means he's a healthy teenager. And I caught you having sex with Cozart more times than ever masturbating. Jeebus, you never locked the door."

"And?"

"And what? It wasn't like you were going to get him pregnant." Suddenly the smile dropped and his older brother looked ridiculously alarmed. "Uh, right?"

"That's completely disregarding the point!" Giotto glared menacingly, red rising in his cheeks. Out of anyone, he didn't expect a rational explanation from a man who was born with two left feet.

"You've overreacting, little brother." Apparently there was something funny about the way he was panicking. "Don't you masturbate all the time?"

"Not since Alaude and I became lovers." Giotto frowned, hands shoving into his pockets. The story behind Alaude and him wasn't very complicated. At the beginning they declared it simply business terms – Alaude rarely left his research alone and Giotto hadn't gotten laid since…Daemon. In contrast to Daemon's cunning, flirtatious nature, Alaude was possessive. He was domineering, possessive, and was the owner of a very dirty mouth. Red raised his cheeks and he shifted weight between his legs.

"You…and Alaude are lovers?"

"For three years now." The relationship started out of grief. He knew Alaude and his brother hadn't seen each other in years, and it was a subject never touched upon when as a matter of fact it was one of the reasons they were together. It'd evolved through the years, and not only had their friendship grown, but their relationship. Cozart was his other lover, and he too was a relationship Giotto would treasure dearly.

"Oh," Dino said quietly. "I didn't know that."

Footsteps trotted down the stairs and Giotto froze. When they ceased, the blond raised his head and felt heat rise to his face. Tsuna had redressed himself in his wrinkled pajama top and bottoms, but the flush from earlier remained. Sweat coated his face, and brown eyes fell to the ground.

"Feeling better, little brother?"

Giotto blinked. Why did his older brother suddenly sound a little hollow? Looking from the corner of his eye, he saw the wrinkles between Dino's eyebrows. Dino also…wasn't freaking out. Why _was_ he freaking out, anyway? Dino was right. There were plenty times they caught one another in compromising positions and it didn't matter.

But…_Tsuna_…

"P-Please don't kick me out." Tsuna shifted between his feet. "I-I'm r-really sorry. P…Please don't kick me out."

"Kick you out?" Giotto repeated. _What_? All thoughts ran through his mind – when did that subject ever come to conversation? He never once threatened to throw the teenager out of the house and the very thought crushed him. The younger blond pulled away from the loveseat, irritation and quite a bit of anger sparking in his chest. "Tsuna, why would I kick you out?"

"B-Because…I-I…_I-in your h-house, a-and_ – "

Oh please. Tsuna caught him in plenty other compromising positions in the past few months. "Do you have any questions?"

Then the blond wanted to slap himself. Dino had a point on this one – if anyone needed to freak out, then it would have to be Tsuna. Obviously five minutes by himself caused the boy to grow delirious. Kicking Tsuna out of the house was like Alaude cracking a corny joke.

Tsuna looked mortified. Giotto didn't blame him.

"If you don't have any questions, little brother, then you can go back upstairs and clean up." He had a feeling his little brother wouldn't want to look him in the face for a very long time. Giotto picked up his feet, slowly inching closer to the brunet to place a hand on his shoulder. Tsuna flinched and pulled away, leaving the blond with a sour taste in his mouth. It was one thing to not look him in the eye, but another not to accept him. "Tsuna?"

Apparently uncomfortable, he backed away further, and the pink in his cheeks darkened.

"Aw, it's not a big deal, little guy." Then almost immediately, Dino's warm voice seemed to melt Tsuna's shell. It…_hurt_, simply watching the way chocolate brown eyes raise their gaze and looked to Dino for comfort. Giotto watched, irritated when Dino, too, rose from the loveseat and put a hand on the brunet's shoulder. His demeanor was the same as before: a little lost, and stuck in the middle. Tsuna hung his head in shame, pink never fading. "So – "

"H-How does sex work between two m-men, a-anyway?" The moment the question left a young mouth rendered both older brothers shocked. The teenager immediately clasped a hand across his lips, _horrified,_ and Giotto clutched Dino's shoulder before he could faint. "Y-You don't have to a-answer th-that – "

"Are you referring to the time," Giotto seethed as Dino, too, caught himself before he could fall over, "That Alaude and I – …" He stopped there with a dead halt. There was no specific confrontation he could recall. On their first re-meeting, the poor boy lost his sight-virginity when Alaude was in the middle of ramming him hard against the kitchen counter; handcuffs included.

An audible gulp tore his attention away from the infamous "incident" and Tsuna nodded under his fear, hand still covering his mouth. Dino gave him a look, obviously confused, and quite frankly, Giotto wasn't surprised. They got together a few times in the year to celebrate Christmas or birthdays, but the Vongola brothers were more concerned about hanging out than their social life. He couldn't recall ever mentioning Alaude and he were – a…erm. A something.

H-However, that was definitely not a subject easy to explain, and Giotto led their way to the living room. "Do you remember the time that – "

"Y-Yes." The teenager shut his eyes tightly. Well, this wasn't going to be an easy subject.

"And when he was – "

"Y-Yeah!"

"There's a bundle of nerves in the anus called a prostate." And again the teenager only seemed calm when Dino was the one who managed to soothe him. Giotto surrendered, lips tightly sealing as he sat back and watched a sheepish Dino calm his – _their_ younger brother. "It works like the g-spot of a woman, and basically, erm…"

"Basically when touched, spikes pleasure through those who receive it." Giotto's fingers fidgeted with his pant legs, this time not bothering to look up and see Tsuna's reaction. He counted the rings on his wooden floor and waited for when he could pitch another idea.

"S…So it's…a m-mutual feeling?"

"On both ends," admitted Dino. Hilariously enough his voice had spiked an octave. "It's the same as making love, you know."

"O…Oh…"

"There are a lot of gay men who do it and others that think it's uncomfortable." Giotto looked up when he noticed Tsuna was giving him a look of concern. Then again, as he observed how the brunet was reacting, the teenager appeared torn between looking him in the eye and looking away. Being _humiliated_ and being his little guardian. A smile tugged his lips. "Anymore questions?"

"Not…really." Tsuna still wouldn't look him the eye. At least they were talking.

"You scrunch your nose whenever you lie, little brother." Giotto leaned over and pressed a hand to the teenager's forehead. Out of his haze he had forgotten that he originally needed to see if Tsuna was feeling well enough to go to a dinner party.

The brunet fidgeted, no doubt still embarrassed, and mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"How do you…define your relationship with Alaude-san then?" O-Oh. Um. "N-Never mind." Tsuna pushed his arm away, evidently ending their conversation as he stood up from the couch.

"How are you feeling? Flu-wise, I mean?"

"B-Better."

"Good. Kyoko invited us to a dinner party tonight. Go clean up your mess and find something nice to wear." His watch read 7:30PM. The Sasagawas would be expecting them soon. Tsuna's face turned a visible shade of blue, eyebrows knitting together with trouble.

"Kyoko?" Dino piped in. He tugged on Giotto's sleeve. "Who's Kyoko?"

"A schoolmate of Tsuna's. She invited all three of us for dinner, since we just moved in and you're visiting." Giotto raised his head and gestured to Tsuna's room upstairs. "There should be some nice clothes in your dresser. Wear something orange. It suits you."

Tsuna was now looking him in the eye again. Embarrassment officially vanished, but he stood, contemplative while Giotto debated giving his brother his rightfully needed medication. Then again…he thought back to their kiss, and immediately the thought was shoved away. No medicine. _Definitely_ no medicine.

"Alright." The teenager's voice came out raspy, and he escaped upstairs, Dino and Giotto remaining on opposite ends of the loveseat.

The younger blond turned his head, and he caught the smile that spread across his big brother's lips. "Yeah?"

"He's all grown up." Dino shifted his weight, eyes teeming with amusement and sadness all the same. "The last time I saw him, he was just this cute little baby at the hospital. Earlier, one of his friends dropped off some homework, and now he's got a girlfriend? You and Tsuna have built this relationship in the past few months that I can't even begin to measure up to."

"First of all, he's gay." Which was probably why Tsuna originally asked that particular question.

"Really? He's gay?"

"Second," God, he couldn't hide anything from his brother. Giotto gripped his arm tightly, then ran a hand through his hair. "You can't measure up to our relationship because you've already surpassed it."

Dino gave him a look. He apparently said the wrong thing – _again._ "Little brother – "

"That's it, that's exactly it. You're the big brother, Dino, and I'm the little brother. You come to my rescue whenever I get into trouble, and you have since we were kids." Giotto watched Dino's demeanor shift to almost unreadable. He watched his eldest brother, weakly smiling in defeat. "I can tell you right now that since you got here you're one of the few people Tsuna immediately got used to. He didn't even warm up to G that quickly."

"But…"

"You're good for him, Dino. He would be happier if you were the one taking care of him."

"I highly doubt that." No hesitation. Giotto immediately looked up to Dino, ready for a rebottle, but the older blond appeared set on proving him wrong. His eyebrows crinkled, and the odd smile returned to his lips. "I would have loved to take care of Tsuna, but you're a lot closer to his home than I am. When Gokudera came to the door, he looked extremely happy. Nana told me that he had trouble fitting in at Shimon."

"You're in touch with Nana?"

"Expect a visit from both Moms soon." Dino cracked a cheeky grin and laughed. "You're doing a fine job, little brother. But also remember what I said: _Tsuna is seventeen._ He's got a mind of his own and at any time could do something unexpected."

Like run away. The younger blond's heart wrenched, the reminder of his incapability as a brother and not being able to look after Tsuna making his head ache. If the thought ever crossed Tsuna's mind again to run away from home – _to God knows where_ – and ignore his phone calls, Giotto would feel like scum. He'd want to die, unsure of what to do or how to handle it a second time.

"Tsuna's spent his whole life growing up in Shimon. I was thinking about it when you were gone." Dino took the liberty of brushing bangs away from Giotto's face. "And he knows not only was he an accident, but a consequence that came out of an affair. I know you never liked the thought of Nana and Dad together, but Tsuna knew of your dislike. Most of his life was probably spent dwelling on that."

"He's also spent it as a caretaker for Cozart's kid brother." Giotto returned the favor and pushed the blond mop out of his brother's eyes. Frown tugging on his lips, he lowered his voice and looked to the stairs where Tsuna would come down any minute. "Takeshi and Hayato took him under their wing, and I know he treasures their friendships. You can see it in his eyes. Enma, though… If it wasn't for a friend in need, he would have never…n-never would have gone back to Shimon. He puts Enma's wellbeing before anyone else's."

"Sounds like a good kid."

"The best." A smile danced across the younger's face and his heart swelled with pride. "Tsuna is what you expect him to be when you look at him: small, petite, shy in behavior and always looking to the ground. But it all changes the second a friendship or a close relationship of his has been disrupted. He's actually pretty stubborn when it comes to what he thinks is the right thing. Sometimes he speaks before he thinks, but…it's endearing."

"Sounds like you two have gotten close in the past few months." He was right. Tsuna and he had come a long way since August, and next week would be the third month they lived together. Six months left until the wedding. "I really want to get to know him."

"You will." And their relationship would be the flipside of Giotto's and Tsuna's, because Giotto looked up to Dino just like he did with G.

"Why didn't you…tell me about your relationship with Alaude?"

Giotto blinked. Turning to the other blond, he found the adult attempting to be cheerful and smiling as he fingered the remote. In an odd way, Dino's behavior made him think of Tsuna himself. They were similar in personality – clumsy and very ditsy. If Tsuna shared his looks, then Tsuna received Dino's behavior – albeit with less confidence. Alaude was a different matter altogether.

And one that he thought hadn't crossed Dino's path in years.

"I knew you wouldn't approve."

"Is it really a relationship?"

"It's not _not_ a relationship." Giotto scooted closer to the edge, and the pink spread across his cheeks. Through reminiscing about Cozart, custody battles, Daemon, and keeping Tsuna in order, Alaude and he hadn't had the chance to talk. zwords such as "commitment" and "love" were close to forbidden in bed, but a certain fondness and tender warmth could be felt in the afterglow of sex. They failed to create a label, even if all of their friends deemed them a couple.

"I don't know how I feel about my little brother in another relationship if it's purely physical, Giotto." Dino shook his head, eyebrows furrowing in disarray. A frown now played his lips, and the subject wasn't going to change.

"How you feel about your brother in another relationship," debated the other blond keenly, "or someone in a one-sided love that you can't let go of?"

"Giotto – "

"I'm not getting defensive, and neither are you." They needed to diminish any tension that would form over the subject. Fighting wasn't something Tsuna needed to see them doing. Instead, Giotto stood, dusted off his pants, and offered the other blond a hand.

Brown eyes gazed at him with much uncertainty. There were more qualities Tsuna had from all of them than he realized. "You're allowing people to touch you?"

"Depends on what you mean by touch." The younger blond arched an eyebrow and waited until his fingers tangled with Dino's. "How long do you plan on staying?"

"As long as you need me." Dino firmly gripped his hand, demeanor unwavering. Giotto waited, eyes falling to the grip they had on none another. Years ago, just as teenagers, Dino's lack of coordination was simply common knowledge. Remembering back then, when they were just Tsuna's age, there was more to it; Dino's little quirks built into his essence, and truly made knowing the adult worthwhile.

Even if he was a little angry at G for sending Dino, he was also very glad his big brother still felt the need to protect him. "How about after Tsuna goes to bed, we go out for some drinks?"

"Alright," Dino nodded and looked to the stairs when Tsuna trotted downstairs, wet hair matted to his face. "Ooh, you look nice."

"He's right," Giotto agreed. He held back a grin, noticing that the brunet had paled a little under his feverish blush. In a way he pitied the boy, reminded of when Celeste used to force girls on him for marriage. Going to the Sasagawas may not have been the teenager's choice of fun, but he knew Tsuna as one who never refused a friend. Kyoko was a friend.

The doorbell rang.

"I-I'll get it." Tsuna eased his way toward the door and Giotto took a good look at his brother. He looked taller; not even the shadow of when he first arrived. His face was beginning to fill out and the blond wouldn't have doubted if Tsuna would have another growth spurt soon. A smile spread across the pensive brunet's lips. "Hi, Kyoko-chan."

"Ooh," Dino said. He looked over Giotto's shoulder with approval. "She's pretty. Does she know he's – "

"Nope."

"Oh. Well, that's not gonna turn out well."

"Hi, Tsuna-kun." The bubbliness in her voice was obvious. That was another thing – his cute little brother was getting checked out by a girl. How…cute and irritating was _that_? "I like your belt."

"Uh," Tsuna mumbled quietly. "Thanks. I like your…hands."

"My hands?"

"Th-They're pretty."

"Oh. Well, thank you. Um, I hope I don't alarm you but," Kyoko kindly looked over the other teenager's shoulder and locked eyes with Giotto. She held up what appeared to be a door knob and frowned. "This fell off the door."

"Really now?" That was impossible. Shouichi sold him the penthouse clean and fit – the redhead knew from the past that Giotto accepted nothing than the best quality. Unless… "_Dino_!"

"Well," Dino grinned, "Let'sgetgoingnoweheh!"

OoOoO

Kyoko-chan held his hand once they reached the elevator. Dino and Giotto hadn't said a word to him since, and it left Tsuna with Kyoko and nothing to say. A smile remained across her face, and he doubted she noticed his nervousness.

Tsuna looked up to Giotto, desperate for help, but the blond simply gave him a sheepish shrug. He gulped, also realizing they were on the other side of the elevator, and he was feeling extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, Dino decided to pitch an idea. "So how long have you and Tsuna known each other?"

"Since the first day of school." Kyoko flashed a sweet smile and politely curtsied. "It's a pleasure meeting you, Dino-san."

"You too, sweetheart." Dino-san flashed a curt smile and looked to Tsuna. The brunet struggled with his own smile and pulled his hand away. Kyoko noticed immediately.

"Sorry," he said timidly. "S-Sweaty palms."

"Oh, I didn't even notice." She giggled, bringing the other small hand to her lips.

Not a word after that. She simply hooked their hands back together, apparently enjoying whatever was happening as the elevator stopped two or three more times. Kyoko was pretty. Tsuna thought her smile was fitting, and she knew how to cheer a person up, but she wasn't all too interesting.

Plenty guys at school thought she was pretty, and he had a feeling she was confessed to daily. Kyoko was the first year idol at their high school – but…Tsuna…didn't…care. Kyoko made him think of a doting mother, and although pretty and mature, they didn't have a lot in common. Their conversations usually started and ended with Tsuna tripping over his own two feet. K-Kyoko…intimidated him.

"I'm glad that you guys moved into the apartment building." Kyoko smiled in delight and gave Tsuna's hand a comfortable squeeze. "Not very many people live this far from the school."

"Must be an effort going back and forth. Is it a hassle for you?"

Tsuna sighed in relief. At least Dino was saving his butt. Giotto on the other hand…Giotto had drifted off in his own little world. He blinked, eyes narrowing to the younger blond. He was quiet and reserved; detached altogether. What was wrong?

Dino continued chatting with Kyoko-chan, but the teenager's gaze remained on his other brother, who separated himself from the conversation. Giotto snapped out of his ministrations, having caught Tsuna in the act, and immediately the brunet looked away.

Maybe nothing was different. Maybe everything was the same.

Giotto's state of mind still concerned him. Daemon…from the way he sounded, _scared_ him. Falling sick the moment they got home was the stupidest thing he could have ever done. Giotto needed to rest – _not_ worry about him. Why couldn't the flu have waited?

He snapped out of his thoughts when a tissue was pressed against his nose. Tsuna jumped, taken off guard while Giotto flashed a mischievous grin. "You've got snot dribbling, little brother."

"Y-You carry tissues in your pocket?"

"Only for you." Giotto shrugged while the elevator finally came to the right halt.

Kyoko tugged on his hand and another giggle escaped her lips. He hesitated to smile and followed hesitantly. "Your brothers certainly don't look like they're from here, Tsuna-kun."

"They're Italian." But the qualities from Iemitsu were there. Tsuna saw the broadness of their stature from their father, and the height. He was the shortest out of the trio.

"Wow, that's really cool." She wasn't listening. Neither was Tsuna.

At a loss for conversation, Tsuna looked to his brothers, who waded only a few feet behind them. A tender smile spread across Dino's lips, fingers fiddling with the collar of Giotto's suit before brushing dust off his shoulder. Giotto rolled his eyes, but it was obvious the gesture didn't bother him. His lips curled slightly, but he said nothing.

"Kyokoo! Mom says to hurry up with the guests, or she'll be extremely – ooh, what's this?"

O-Oh. K-Kyoko-chan had a brother. The very same brother Tsuna often heard violent things about – l-like the fact Ryohei Sasagawa was in the Boxing Club. They hadn't s-spoken to each other since his first day in Namimori, b-but once he caught sight of rippling pectorals and abrasive yelling, he was torn between unintentionally upsetting Kyoko by releasing her hand, or pulling away so he wouldn't upset Sasagawa-senpai.

"You two are dating?" No! No, no, no! Unlike Kyoko's flowery dress, Sasagawa-senpai looked like he'd just gotten out of a fight with a kangaroo. "Sawada!" Immediately Tsuna recoiled, ready for a punch in the face, but it never came. Instead, Sasagawa-senpai delivered a rough pat on his shoulder, grin spread across his lips as he repeatedly bruised the poor brunet. "From this day forth, you shall call me Oniisan! I expect twenty _extreme_ nieces and nephews each!"

E-Each. He said the word, _e-each._ Fortunately, Kyoko broke into their one-sided conversation and gestured toward their apartment. "Oniisan! We're not dating!"

But she was blushing. The way Kyoko would look at him often made him feel weird. He took the chance to pull his hand away. Luckily, Kyoko was too occupied taking care of her brother to notice.

Mrs. Sasagawa was a dainty woman much like her daughter. Unlike the penthouse Giotto and he now lived in, the Sasagawa apartment was much smaller. It was bigger than Giotto's old apartment (thank God), and decorated with plenty doilies and various shades of pink. Kyoko and even Ryohei were unfazed by the apartment.

Giotto whistled. Dino giggled. _Oh cripes._

"You must be Tsuna-chan!"

Not a second had even passed when Tsuna looked back to the source of the voice, finding Mrs. Sasagawa only centimeters from his face. He covered his mouth before a humiliating, unmanly noise could leave his lips.

A-As it turned out, Mrs. Sasagawa was also the same height as her daughter. Instinctively the brunet backed away, unintentionally scooting to his brothers' sides while the other family got settled. A smile graced Kyoko's features as she gestured to the trio.

"Mama, this is Tsuna-kun and his brothers, Giotto-san and Dino-san. They're our new neighbors."

"Sawada is a fast one! He's trying out for the track team this spring!"

"N-No! I-I'm…" Tsuna shook his head, but no one in the family seemed to notice. "I-I'm not…I-I mean…"

"No daughter of mine will be marrying someone who isn't an athlete." Mrs. Sasagawa held her chest and head high, voice as powerful as her son's, but demeanor delicate like her daughter. Tsuna's lip twitched in protest, but he said nothing. What was he going to do? R-Ryohei could rip his head off, and Kyoko was his friend. She hadn't done anything wrong. "Ooh, look at me babble. Kyoko-chan, will you help me finish getting dinner ready for our guests?"

"Sure, Mama." Kyoko turned her head, eyes falling to her classmate. Tsuna offered a smile as she returned to his side and stood at the tip of her toes. "I'm sorry if my family freaks you out."

"N-No! I-It's fine! I-I've seen worse." Tsuna turned his head until his eyes met with Giotto's, who immediately grimaced, pink stirring in his cheeks. Red skewered the brunet's own face. I-It wasn't just Giotto that managed to shock him, after all. Lambo had quite a few stories, and Enma's irrational judgment got them into plenty trouble.

Kyoko only laughed. She cupped his face, eyes tender and smooth, and Tsuna looked uncomfortably to the boxing magazines on top of frilly pink doilies. "You…have something in your hair." He twitched as her fingers ran through his bangs. "There. It's gone."

"Uh, thanks. Your hair has, erm – " Nothing. Absolutely nothing, because it was neat and tidy and the exact opposite of Giotto's odd sex hair. "— a-a hair band in your hair. I-It's uh. Pink."

"Yeah," she laughed through her words. "It's very pink. I'm going to go help my mother now."

"O…Okay." With that, she was off into the kitchen, apron covering her dress. Mrs. Sasagawa chuckled, and she readjusted said headband on her daughter – just like how Nana would fix his tie every day back at home.

Nana…used to do a lot of things for him. Lately, he realized, she hadn't crossed his mind as she used to. Every day she came to his room, cheery smile on her lips and shook him awake. She gave him hugs even though nowadays felt awkward now that he was a teenager, and always packed him lunch with the same note: _I love you. Have a nice day, Tsu-kun. _Nana used to hold Enma the same way she held Tsuna when they were just little kids. He remembered that.

"_This way you have a mommy too!" _

"'Uh, _thanks_,'" Giotto grinned. Tsuna snapped out of his thoughts, looking to the blond who hovered over his left shoulder before Dino occupied his right.

"''Your hair has, _erm_, a hair band in your hair.'" The eldest brother laughed and patted him sympathetically on the back. "Aw, Tsuna. You're so cute – and she's got it bad."

Got what bad? "Oh…y…yeah."

"Something wrong?" Giotto's tone flipped immediately, and he turned the boy around. Again, Tsuna flinched as he felt a hand run through his bangs, searching for his forehead. Unlike Kyoko's hands, Giotto's held delicate warmth that soothed a headache Tsuna hadn't noticed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine." He struggled to smile, but now for a different reason. Away from their teasing, Dino and Giotto held matching frowns, and he could already see Giotto readying to storm back home. "Being in the Sasagawa home…j-just makes me think about…m-my mother. A-And where she is right now. I-I swear, that's it."

Suddenly both backed away. _Oh._ It wasn't a problem easily fixed, and they knew it.

Inching away from the close bubble his brothers had caused, Tsuna shrugged. "I just realized that I've been so caught up with living with Giotto th-that I haven't even thought about calling her. That's it." And it made him feel bad. His mother was one of his first priorities, and they hadn't spoken to each other in _two months._

"She's doing great." _What_? Dino smiled softly and nodded. "I've had a few conversations with her – and we'll be seeing each other when I go back. You're on her mind constantly."

"R…Really?"

"Most definitely, little brother."

"That's…" That was great. That was fantastic. Tsuna looked to Giotto for any other answer, but the younger blond remained silent, his smile waning. "That's great – "

"Are you the boy that will be wedding my daughter?" Male voice. Very deep male voice with the ruggedness of Sasagawa-senpai's, a-and…T-Tsuna had a feeling this wasn't going to end we – "You will have to bare me at least eighty grandchildren, young man!"

"U-Uh –" Tsuna turned around, disgruntled and – a-and came face-to-face with a really, really, _really, really, really_ tall man. "O…O…kay."

Tsuna considered G his brother's bodyguard. G held a firm body, fit and tall compared to Giotto, who was shorter in stature, and looked like he could take down twenty men in one go. He had no doubt the punch to Zakuro-san's nose was caused by the other redhead, and had secretly thought it was funny. G was strong, but Zakuro was bigger.

Mr. Sasagawa was at least three times their sizes _combined_ and must have held the testosterone of all of Antarctica. _Why aren't there very many men residing in the North and South Pole? _B-Because Mister K-Kyoko's Dad ate them! Giotto whistled again, but Dino didn't giggle.

He grinned, and even his _teeth_ had muscles. "You call me PawPaw." _PawPaw_? Were they in an old American western?

"I-I…u-uh…" He never once referred to Iemitsu as his father in his lifetime!

"Call me PawPaw!"

"O-Okay!"

"Dinner's ready!" Oh thank _God!_

The dinner was quiet. From the looks of it, the Sasagawas were doing just fine in their work; especially for a man who looked very…_bumpy_ in a bright pink muscle shirt. Tsuna said very few things, and Giotto was absorbed in his work, which left Dino chatting for the most part. Giotto would answer questions, occasionally look to his phone, and explained his business. Then –

"So," Mr. Sasagawa cracked another deathful grin, fists larger than Tsuna's head resting on the table. "How long have you been dating my daughter?"

Wh-What? "W-We're not…d-dating, sir. J-Just friends."

"Just friends," Kyoko repeated. From the corner of his eye, the brunet saw his classmate lightly turn pink before poking him in the rib. "But…it'd be nice. If you and I could go on a date."

"Ooh!" Ryohei-senpai mimicked his father's grin and slurped the rest of his yakisoba. "I have a boxing match coming up in two weeks with a school down south! How about you spend your date there?"

A..._boxing_ match? Was that even a p-proper first date? Kyoko's eyebrows furrowed and she bit her lip Kyoko-ly. "You know how I feel about you fighting, Big Brother…"

"Aw, but it'll have protective gear and everything! And I'm finally gonna have my rematch with that Aoba punk!" _Aoba_?

"Koyo Aoba?" Tsuna cocked his head, eyes doubling twice their size. "Your rematch is going to be with Koyo Aoba?"

"Yeah!" The boxer flashed another grin, obviously excited that he was able to show off to someone other than his family. "He's _extremely_ going down. We're not going to end it with a draw like last time."

Aoba-kun. The same foster brother Enma grew up with and the one Tsuna disliked the most. I-If…he was coming up to Namimori sometime soon, then there was a possibility that…

"Do you really want to go see my brother's boxing match, Tsuna?" Kyoko placed a hand on top of his, and the brunet fidgeted. "I'll go if you want to go."

What'd she just say? "S…Sure." A little bit of concern always played out in his chest when Aoba-kun was involved. Through Enma, he'd seen the other teenager get very aggressive, and knew from personal experience. He covered his cheek, jaw suddenly aching in memory of a punch that knocked out his teeth years ago.

Talk about first impressions.

After dinner they sat in the living room with nothing to say. Tsuna sat on the couch between Ryohei and Kyoko while their parents got into an exciting story about how they first met. Giotto and Dino were in their own little corner, occasionally cutting in with a question or two, but it was left alone. Tsuna could barely remember the evening.

Then they turned on an old record player. Mrs. Sasagawa gasped, hands coming to her cheeks as she swayed to the music. "This was the song we danced to at our wedding! Oh, do you remember this?"

"They played songs at our wedding?" Oh, he certainly knew where Ryohei-senpai got his personality. Mr. Sasagawa smiled mightily and leaned over to the woman far smaller than he. "All I remember is dancing with the most beautiful girl in the world."

"Ooh~ Stop, you're making me blush!" Yech. "Mm~ Tsuna-chan, Kyoko-chan, why don't you dance with us?"

Ryohei had fallen asleep. Giotto and Dino were in a conversation, but the moment they heard the request, they stopped. Tsuna looked to all three, paling, then to Kyoko, who simply smiled and looked embarrassed. "It's okay. I'm really sorry with the way they're acting, they're normally not this…kookie."

Oh, shucks. Tsuna smiled sympathetically and ran a hand through his hair. "I…It's okay. Uh." He stood up and offered a hand. "M…may I have this dance?"

It was like she'd been offered a star in the sky. Kyoko looked at him, eyes – _what color were they, anyway –_ shining with a bit of shock, and he knew it wasn't the norm for him to take the initiative. However…he didn't want to embarrass her. Kyoko-chan was a friend. With a chill in her hands, different from that of his brother's or Enma's, their fingers intertwined and Tsuna brought them to the center of the living room.

Then accidentally stepped on her foot. "Ow!"

"S-Sorry," Tsuna turned red. "I-I'm new at this."

"N…no." She shook her head and offered a small giggle. "It's cute."

_Why_ did everyone think he was "cute"? When was the last time someone referred to him as just…just _Tsuna?_ They continued with the dance, and he was sure Mr. and Mrs. Sasagawa stopped a while ago. How long was this song?

"Ow!"

"S…Sorry."

"No, no, it's – ow!"

"Sorry!"

"Ow!"

"SORRY – "

"_IT'S_ getting late." Suddenly Giotto stood up from the other couch, Dino in tow. Cripes, _toes_… The younger blond flashed a comforting grin and shook Mr. Sasagawa's hand. "We should get going."

Tsuna bit back a sigh of relief while he and Kyoko finally stopped dancing. She smiled sheepishly, feet rubbing against the ground, and he noticed that again, they were still holding hands. "How about I walk you home?"

"Don't the knights in shining armor normally take the princess home?" A small smile curtsied his lips and she blushed. Er, did he say something?

"I'll be back in a minute Mama, Papa."

"Alright, bye sweetie!"

The walk was silent, just like the rest of the night. Giotto and Dino now weren't speaking to each other, and the looks between them appeared sporadic. Sometimes they would smile and other times, Dino would stop laughing and fall quiet; visibly bugged. Giotto looked at his phone on occasion, but he kept the poker face Tsuna knew well. On the bright side, he thought as they finally reached their apartment, Giotto was enjoying the extra company while G was away.

"You and your brothers seem very close." Kyoko snapped him out of his thoughts.

Tsuna looked up and noticed he was halfway through the door, hands still tangled with his classmates. Giotto and Dino spoke quietly to one another, but they were far too deep inside for him to hear. Instead, he nodded. "I…y-yeah." His chest tingled as he thought back to the conversation he'd had with his eldest brother earlier. "We've gotten really close."

"I'm sure growing up with them must have been intimidating." Kyoko took a step forward into – was there really any space left? Tsuna felt his bubble break. "CEOs of two worldwide companies? That's a lot to live up to."

It was all on Celeste's side of the family – whoever she was. They'd still yet to meet. Would Celeste be like Giotto? Cruel and clever? Or like Dino – ditsy and sweet? "I never got to grow up with them. Giotto and Dino-san and I share the same father – but that's it. They grew up in Italy and I grew up in Shimon."

"Oh." It took her off guard. "I'm so sorry – "

"It's fine." He didn't want to get into detail about his personal life – not with Kyoko. "Thank you for inviting us over, Kyoko-chan."

"Thank you for coming over…it was fun." She smiled again, and in the lighting the other teenager looked very pretty. Kyoko reminded him of a princess. "You're a real gentleman, Tsuna-kun."

"Er, thanks. You're um. A real girl? I-I mean, a real nice girl!" H-He never _was_ good with talking to girls.

"Tsuna-kun…" She leaned forward into the little space they had left. Tsuna's back dug into the door frame, and he fell dead still, lips pressed against his own. A girl was _kissing_ him. A _girl_, for the first time in his entire life (excluding his mother) was kissing him!

And it felt weird. Kyoko's eyes had fluttered closed when she initiated the kiss, but his were wide open. Did people normally close their eyes when kissing someone else? He watched her flawless face, waiting, and played with his belt loop. Wh-What was wrong with keeping their eyes open? Did something happen when people closed their eyes?

He stopped the kiss when realization hit that he hadn't been breathing for at least a minute. Gently sidestepping his classmate, Tsuna felt his cheeks turn pink when Kyoko looked at him in confusion. "Um. S-See you in school?"

Kyoko wasn't subdued. Finally, she glowed, red swelling in her cheeks as she bowed and backed away toward the elevator. "Good night, Tsuna-kun."

"Y…Yeah. G-Good night."

He waited until she was out of sight, in the elevator, and the shift of moving cables could be heard before shutting the door. Finally, he slipped off his shoes, lightheadedness from his flu returning. Tsuna wiped his lips, only then feeling better in his right of mind, and the kiss was easily forgotten, even if the guilt for Kyoko-chan wasn't.

Not all kisses were the way they seemed. The rare times Nana was able to see Iemitsu, their kisses were passionate. Loving and tender, even if the heartbreak that often came later made him question if they were worth it. Somehow…in the future, Tsuna was sure Kyoko's kisses would be meant for someone better, and he, too, would find someone for himself.

"You shouldn't lead her on like that."

Eek. It was one scream he felt too guilty to yell. Tsuna locked eyes with his brother, who now sat on the loveseat by himself. "Where's Dino-san?"

"Taking a shower." Giotto smiled softly and picked up the sleeping Nuts from the armrest. "We're going to go out and catch up on things."

Catch up…? "Wh…What was wrong with you at dinner?" The brunet's eyebrows furrowed. Wasn't that what they did while they were at the party? He noticed the cycle after ten minutes of eating: Giotto would say something and make a face, then Dino would save him with a comment of his own. After that, they would grow quiet, and the conversation ceased until the next interjection.

A blond eyebrow raised under Giotto's messy hairline as he ran a hand through Nuts's fur. "What do you mean?"

"I was worried." The teenager ducked his head in shame, red heating up his cheeks. He fingered his belt loops, eyes burning holes in the ground so he could avoid his brother's gaze. "You…didn't talk a lot…a-and you haven't been talking a lot for a few weeks now. And I feel bad, b-because I didn't notice until it was too late."

Giotto didn't answer his question. For a while, nothing was said. Then: "What do you think of Dino?"

Dino-san? "He's nice…But – "

"He's a better big brother," Giotto said slowly, "than I am. Right?"

Wh-What? "W-Was that what was bothering you during dinner?"

It was very Gokudera-kun-ish of him to look away with a shrug. A soft hue of pink glowed against half-Italian skin, and it reminded Tsuna of earlier days where he would do something and for no apparent reason, his brother was rendered speechless and blushing. He had an odd talent to do that.

But…i-if that was what was bothering him… Tsuna took the question – er, _confirmation?_ – into consideration, eyebrows furrowing as he found himself in the middle of the mess. Alright.

"You're right," the brunet whispered. He felt a pang of shame when Giotto closed his eyes for acceptance. "Dino-san came here this afternoon and welcomed me with open arms. He was…comforting, a-and he's really easy to talk to. When I was little – when you and I first met, and when Mama told me I had a big brother – that was how I imagined you would be like. Dino-san knows just what to say, and I like it a lot. But – "

Giotto cocked his head. "But?"

Tsuna looked up into the lamp lights, unable to look his brother in the eye. "But he makes me feel like a little kid. I-If I was Lambo, then the treatment would be instinct, and for him…I-I can tell it's just his personality. I-I'm glad he's my big brother. I'm glad I came here and got to meet everyone. But, y-you're also not like everyone else, Giotto."

"What do you mean?"

"Y-You're not doting, like Mama is. You aren't…a-as aggressive as Gokudera-kun can be, and y-you're not Reborn-sensei." He sighed in relief on the last one. "You're a-all of it. When you used your authority over my head, it was stern. Y-You've never yelled at me because you were angry, but tell me when I'm wrong, and your opinion means the world to me. You don't try to hide things from me like Mama, but you don't shove the truth in my face. You…you make me feel…human."

Human was the truth. He missed Nana dearly, and knew he would hug her the minute they saw each other, but that was that. Nana was his mother, and Gokudera was his friend. He felt the need to dote on Giotto himself; make sure he was alright, but not to the extent of Enma, because the way Giotto was as passionate and ferocious as the blazing sun and then gentle light the next second made him feel safe – protected.

"I like that," Tsuna whispered. A smile spread across his face, shy and confident all the same as he tucked his hands behind his back. "I love it."

And it left his brother speechless. Giotto was unreadable, and the embers in his eyes sparked with a mystery Tsuna found absolutely engaging. "Oh."

Oh dear. Suddeny, the teenager's smile disappeared and embarrassment sunk in. Red splattered across his face and he hurried to the stairs. "'N-Night, Giotto."

"Good night. Oh – and Tsuna?"

"Er, y-yeah?"

"…Love you."

Oh dear. Those words alone were enough to give the poor boy a heart attack. He looked up, surprised, and found his brother's gaze directly at him, smile spread across his lips. Tsuna smiled back. "Love you too."

He rushed up stairs and into his room – this time locking the door. Tsuna shrugged off his jacket, headache having disappeared. The relationship between Giotto and him…had changed a lot. It was still changing. Liking one another was close to impossible – _brotherly bonding was out of the question._ It was funny, too. Giotto had been the one who took the step each time, and day by day their relationship was redefined. By the time he redressed for bed, Tsuna's body fell into pure bliss, and he reanalyzed every little detail he'd come to know of his brother since their first meeting.

Giotto was pure warmth. No longer was he the chilling, _terrifying_ enigma in the beginning and as perfect as Tsuna respected his brother to be, his brother was also very human. Giotto's smile made him dashing. The air of his voice was something expected in a Shakespearean play, only different – Tsuna could understand him. Giotto romanced any individual with his charm, his wit and…and his good heart. Tonight in comparison to Kyoko's doting, Giotto's gentle touch made him tingle.

Revealing how he viewed his brother was different. It was embarrassing, but it was also a solid fact that made him very fond of the blond. He liked it. _Loved it._

That night, Tsuna fell asleep to the lullaby of his beating heart, feeling oddly happy.

OoOoO

"You sure you're up to this?"

Giotto ducked his head. The bar was small, and very few people could afford even coming in. Boring, stuffy music his mother used to make them listen to echoed from wall to wall, and, very little people littered the room this late at night. As far as he knew, Tsuna was fast asleep, and it was only him and Dino.

"I don't really like talking about it." After all that had happened – no matter how constantly that night while he forced the thought of Dino and Tsuna getting closer away, Daemon would sink closer in his mind – he knew he didn't want to. He _hated_ bringing it up, and Daemon Spade's name was sin on his tongue.

Dino placed a hand over his, lips tightly knit together. "I only want you to feel comfortable."

That would involve a lot more drinking. Instead, Giotto shook his head and looked into the glass with a less than cheery disposition. "No. Let's talk."

**Author's Note: **

The next two chapters (and hopefully only the next two) are going to deal with Giotto and Daemon's relationship – the beginning and the end. Which means no Tsuna. This chapter was fun to write when analyzing what they think of each other. And. Um. I've been getting reviews recently that although are really sweet, have really rude comments that have been giving me headaches and offending me. It's not just one person in particular, and I don't want to point out names, but I also don't want to offend anyone as a reader. I love you guys, but they stressed me out quite a bit, and as an author, I don't think I really have the right to yell at you guys, soo…yeah. And…I'm working on a new comic if you guys are interested? Hehe. C:


	23. games and flirting

**Happyfunnyday **Oh really now? xD That's a little startling; it makes my friends pretty prudish. Then again, I don't really like to talk about myself a lot. It's more fun hearing about what other people have done than boring ol' me. Giotto's just adorable. C': **Mirriox **Aw, you don't have to feel bad. And no, actually, that wasn't my intention, but that's pretty cool. xD **Breathless02 **They're very cute together. xD I can't wait until it's a true, romantic take on their relationship. **L.L **Aw, I'll bet. C': I just bought a DSi, but can't find a wifi route for it, gosh darnit. **Sonicfreak68 **Oh, that's fine. A friend of mine used to only be able to talk to me on weekends, and so far all I've been doing is write or draw. C': PM me if you wanna chat. You know, about your "long" comment, someone actually reviewed begging that I don't make this story short. xD **Freakin-little **Well the thing about their "attraction" is what makes the story move so slow. xD I'm going from friendship _then_ romantic interests, but most stories just capture the romantic aspect. There's a little bit there, if you squint (or not. Tsuna calls Giotto drop-dead gorgeous for a good first half of the chapters, after all. xD) **linda31 **It's fine. I'm not blaming any one person because someone can still end up hurting another's feelings without realizing it. I don't remember if it was you who gave me the comment, but thanks for the apology. C': **Eyes17k **I'm kinda surprised; no one's asked about Tsuna's take on the ordeal, and the "please don't kick me out" thing kinda jumped in there. xD No one's pointed it out yet. **xRynnX **Aw, I'm sorry. I posted that chapter because we had a snow day and there was nothing else to do at home. xD **PurpleBlue23 **I actually like it that way. xD Kyoko's probably one of my favorite obstacles, because it does a different take on her character just like Gokudera does, if Tsuna acted a little differently. Tsuna's already gay, and he's uninterested, but his heart is still there, and that's what people have fallen for. **Pamellka **Oh really now? xD Read the comment I had for PurpleBlue23. C': And no, never. **Fionaroxz **Haha, thanks. I really wanted to do a comical take on their family, and Tsuna is sick and a little…crazy. **StaplerPrincessofDoom **Oh, I've missed you. C': And yeah, I'm fine. That batch of reviews just gave me a horrible headache. I'd rather not elaborate, however. xD **Nekoboy44 **My mother's been bugging me about drinking more milk and pestering me about growing. xD I'm sixteen and she insists I still have two more years to grow since I'm only five feet tall. **Plushiepaw **Boys are fun to draw; but I'm getting into the weird habit of making them manlier than I would prefer. xD Messes with my style a lot. **Stormypeach1396 **I was hoping Giotto's reactions measured up to everyone's expectations. I didn't want him to freak out too badly though. Originally the plan was gonna be, Giotto collided into Dino, Dino go, "Mm? What's wrong, little bro—" "OUT! GET OUT OF THE HOUSE! NOW!" and Dino being clueless. xD **XxMissR27ShootingStarxX **Honestly this story was made up on the spot and kinda bloomed from there. xD I wrote the first chapter, and left it alone to focus on other writings, and never expected for it to become so popular. It's flattering, and I developed as much of the plot as I could. **Kanberry **He would. xD But then he would freak out about it, because he's cute little Tsuna. **Lilth Vaan** So there's this Asian girl at my school who sorta has your name. xD Creepy, eh? And I'm sorry. I wanted Enma, too. I'm hoping they'll pull an Inuyasha, and once the entire story's over, they'll pick up where the anime left off. ;A; **Love Fran **That was one reason why he _didn't_ take the medicine. xD **Mel-Chama **No, it's fine. C': I tend to write my chapters and finish around three in the morning. xD It's the only time I can really get into my writing. And yeah; I'm drawing it. **FaerieDemon **It was so weird. Omigod, I remember reading this review, and you kept jumping around with Giotto and Dino, that when you said "push him off a cliff with a couple of cinderblocks attached to his feet" etc etc, I freaked out going, "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO DINO—Oh. You mean Daemon. Well. I felt stupid." **Lickumz **Thank you very much. That's sweet of you to say. C: **An anonymous Fangirl **I honestly think he does, even in the manga. xD And yes, in the scary way. She's so perfect that he doesn't feel good enough for her. **Meow Mixtape **S'fine. Don't worry about it. xD **Suzuru Seiyo **Haaah. **Anello di Tempesta **Nah, it was amusing to read. xD Not very many people remember how they reacted at certain parts, so that was cool. **LuckyStarWitch **I'm not gonna penalize you for the rest of the time I write this story. I can promise you that I've gotten ruder comments from a reviewer on a different story, who yelled at me and threatened to stop reading the story because I put a plot twist in it. However, I do have my methods in writing, and I feel like I get picked on a lot more than other writers. Like I said, it's not just you, but I'm getting really tired of people making comments that tend to cross the line without any thought to the author. Not trying to make you feel guilty – just putting it out there. :) **Drunk **Haha. I wonder who she'll end up with. C': **ezcap1st **Hmm. No. C; Actually the stuttering's there for a reason. **Red-gold-pink-yellow **It's a half-and-half? xD Kyoko moves the relationship between Giotto and Tsuna forward though; it's pretty endearing. Too bad for her. **Boo I scare you **Haha. That's pretty funny; xD I hope your friend isn't angry at me. **Fan girl 666 **Thanks for the review. :) **Hanori Shiki **That should be how he is. Oh, "PawPaw." C': Dino x Alaude, I don't expect anyone to think of because of the jump and the fact they don't any interaction in the manga. xD However, in this story because he's Giotto's brother, I thought it'd be a good reason. Dino puts a lot of insight in Giotto's current and past relationship; it'll be a shame to see him go. As for Alaude x fem!Tsuna, I'm not much of a fan of genderbending characters, actually. HOWEVER, if you want to, I say go for it. There are a lot of fem!Tsuna fans and it'll be a different taste for people. C: **missjinx **Well, if I was getting rude and offensive comments on purpose again, I wouldn't have held it in so long, y'know? xD Dino definitely has a brother complex with his brothers or something. You see childish!Giotto, but he acts so much more mature than Dino, and vice versa. xD The Sasagawa Family was really fun to write; but it was also just there for comic relief. **Routasu **Nah, it's fine. C': Understandable. Their next kiss will definitely be fun to write. **Totalamuto **Haha. Thanks for the review. **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Mm. We'll see. **Fire Princess21 **Nah, you're fine. C': **KChoco **Giotto and Tsuna got over that pretty fast. I think Giotto was more worried about Tsuna's wellbeing and forgot how awkward the situation was insinuating. xD **HiKaRi-ChIbI **Haha, thanks. C: **ZirciX **Nah. :B Short? Granted a good number of the words in this story are from the reply walls, but I would say I probably have racked in about 150K for this story already. xD **copycat-capycot **You're like the line where all of the comments on Kyoko's character go from good to bad. xD Seriously. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **Why _would_ Tsuna know? xD I don't think it's a subject he would freely be able to look at, and he's too shy to ask anhone. **FalseMoon **I can't help but feel I forced you to review. xD **hermajni **They still have six months together; we've got a lot of work to do when it comes to these two. C': I can't wait. **Ophianara Blade **Haha. I'm sorry. xD Enjoy this chapter? C': **Rainbowbubble **That was the point of the chapter. xD I really did love it, because you get an insight on what Giotto and Tsuna think of each other so far.

**chapter twenty-three has **games and flirting.

"Happy Eighteenth Birthday."

Giotto looked up from his paperwork, challenged by the only thing that would have taken him off guard. Was it really that time of the year already? A beautifully decorated birthday cake rested at the corner of his desk, and the sight of his best friend only made him smile. "You have icing on your nose."

"It doesn't have to be icing, love." With his bold declaration, Cozart swung his legs over the desk and unceremoniously set himself on paperwork. A wry look tingled in his eyes and a lighthearted grin spread across his face. "I don't understand how you can forget your own birthday."

"I've been busy – if you haven't noticed. Are you aware my hands are under your ass?"

"You're the one molesting me."

"Hm." Giotto arched an eyebrow, ultimately abandoning the argument in favor of wiping the icing off his best friend's nose. "I feel like one of those stuffy old men with a sexy secretary ready to get laid on my desk."

And there it was: the bashful and sweet pink that contradicted the redhead's sex appeal. Giotto had grown fond of it in the past few years, and he familiarized with Cozart's nervous habit of pulling his hat over his eyes. "I still can't get over this birthday thing, love."

"A lot of people can forget their birthdays if they're distracted enough."

"You were born New Year's Day."

"Absolutely forgettable." Giotto picked a strawberry from the cake, disregarding his age completely. Instead he bit off the tip and gave the rest to Cozart, who devoured it in an instant. "You're the first person I've seen all morning. G's going to have a fit once he finds out you've already wished me a happy birthday."

A familiar look passed over the redheaded teenager's face. His nose scrunched, visibly disgruntled as he silently dug a finger into white icing and flicked it onto Giotto's eyebrow.

Giotto twitched. "Very funny."

However, like earlier, the Shimon heir simply tightened the hold of his hat on his head, and the significantly faint blush reappeared across the redhead's cheekbones. Adding to the conversation now on the table, Giotto offered an amused eyebrow.

"We've known each other since high school."

"Yet I always remain on his bad side." There was no smugness in the redhead's voice, just simple stating of the facts. Though a touchy subject, he appeared relaxed as he slid off the desk and by the blond's side. "How are you holding up? Still adjusting to the business?"

"Like a Christmas and birthday present all wrapped in one." Giotto rolled his eyes. "Or a toy in need of triple-A batteries. Dino's nuts, you know."

"Or absolutely correct. We'll just have to see how everything turns out." Cozart smiled before sliding a hand in a draw not even Giotto was aware existed and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the icing off his brow. "I think you have the potential to make this company better than it's ever been."

"Right. At least you won't have to worry about this for a while. Roberto still has control over Shimon Industries for a long time."

With that, the smile faded. Once New Years and his birthday had been mentioned, Giotto was only waiting for the redhead's expression to falter. It was early in the year every year that Cozart would fall into a depression. He learned that quickly when they first met years ago, and knew it was a subject never touched. Cozart never liked discussing his family and the politics behind it.

Now it was time to change the subject. Fortunately, the door burst open without second thought, revealing G in all his glory. "Cozart, your father wants to see you. You know, phone calls for the _Shimon_ Company shouldn't be forwarded to – there's cake on your desk."

"And the secretary I'm cheating on my wife with." Giotto smiled. "Sorry, dear."

"Che." Obviously not amused, the adult put two-and-two together before sinking into his grumpy state of mind. "I'm not your wife. Bianchi and I are getting married in _three months._"

Cozart shifted to the right above Giotto's desk; a reminder that he was still in the room. "Why are you two working New Year's day?"

"I wanted to get settled. Everyone else is off duty – I won't be meeting them until next week."

"Oh. I see." With an abrupt thump, the redhead stood to his feet and kissed Giotto chastely on the forehead. "I'd better get going before he yells. See you tonight at the party."

Giotto nodded and returned to the work on his desk. That didn't mean he couldn't hear their conversation.

"Why are you always here?"

"Giotto's as much my best friend as he is yours – how are preparations going; marrying Bianchi and all?"

"I'm flying in to see her this weeke – _don't change the subject_!"

"You have a very beautiful face, G."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing." The mirth was visible in the shorter redhead's tone. Peering up from his paperwork, Giotto caught sight of Cozart running a hand smoothly down the juncture of the other redhead's jaw. "With your personality, I'm surprised you haven't gotten a tattoo devoted to Giotto or the company."

"Me?" G was obviously appalled. "With a tattoo? The day that happens, you'll be dead, moron."

"If you say so."

"Wait."

"Huh – ?"

G instantly grabbed the shorter teenager's arm, face contorting in concern. Curious, Giotto set down his pen, ready to intervene, but he was far out of the picture a long time ago. By nature, G had always been aggressive and short tempered, but even he had days where a spiteful storm could be a momentous rainbow. "This bruise on your arm. How'd you get it?"

Cozart blinked, confused. Giotto didn't blame him. He attempted pulling his arm away, but G wouldn't allow it. "I probably bumped into something. Nothing big."

"I don't like the color of it." Huh. Apparently G was too pigheaded to listen through his alien communication. "You should get it checked out."

"Gaspare Tempesta, are you showing concern for a man you so utterly despise and hate?" Giotto decided best to interrupt. Evidently the pair was bothered, but for different reasons, and it was uncharacteristic for the both of them. Cozart wanted the topic closed. G didn't. "You're cheating on me?"

Fortunately the order of life returned when G scowled and rolled his eyes. "I'm straight. Get it through your fucking head."

"Your first name isn't G?" And Cozart certainly was the same relaxed essence as earlier. G flinched, and he now became the victim to two very cunning men in the room. "Cute."

"That's – you – _did you just call me cute_?"

"Bye, G. Giotto."

"COZART!"

"You shouldn't be so hard on him." Giotto grimaced, eyes falling to the butt imprints Cozart kindly left on paperwork for Ootori's hospitals. He for one enjoyed having a feel of the bubble butt of his best friend – Ootori, however, probably would not. "You know he gets depressed around the holidays."

"Why?" G's voice dragged out – long and predictably irritated. "We've known each other for three years. Every year seems to get more depressing than the last when it comes to him."

"I wouldn't know. Don't you think it's about time you admit how big of a softie you are behind all that brute?" Giotto withdrew his pen and gestured to the chair in front of his desk. "I'd rather like it. You _are_ my business partner, after all."

"Business partner?" Oh, he didn't tell him?

"What makes you think I'm willing to inherit a billion-dollar company without my best friend by my side?" Giotto raised his head, knowing smile spreading across his lips as the aggression disappeared from the redhead's face, immediately replaced with that of pure shock. "G, you've been my partner in crime since we were babies. I need you."

G's lips twitched and his eyes became unreadable. Giotto had no doubt his best friend was asking himself if it was a joke – but the truth was there. Vongola's history was a looming shadow neither one could take for granted. "If we do this, you and I will argue about every decision."

"Mm. We can have makeup sex later."

"I'm not gay."

"That didn't stop you the first time."

"Does everything revolve around sex with you?"

"Just about, love." Giotto flashed a grin and leaned forward, files at hand. "There's no better person. You've been around Vongola as long as I have and have studied the legal systems for five of the seven continents. I would ask Cozart, too, but he cares very little for business and Shimon is already backing him up. The job pays for a lot, and you'll be able to support Bianchi and Hayato while they stay in Namimori. I'll even buy the ticket for you to fly in every weekend and see your wife."

Hesitation fluttered across the redhead's features. "And you're sure about this."

"Most definitely."

"Alright then." A smile graced the lips of his best friend, though humble against his nature, and he stood to his feet. "You've got yourself a partner."

OoOoO

Alaude was a man Giotto met during his first semester at college. While he himself was born in Italy, Alaude Brouille was native to France, and rarely did the Frenchman ever smile. Giotto, however, thought it was one of Alaude's most endearing qualities. His roommate's stature and demeanor made many people mistake him as a robotic loner who had little desire to be around anyone for more than ten seconds. Well. They were partly true.

"You really dislike children when you are only a child yourself."

"You're only two years older than me." Giotto offered a petite smile and watched the white-haired man flip a page in his book. "Though I don't understand how you manage to pick up so many majors and minors. Teaching? Forensics? _Law_?"

"Forensics can only get you so far in the crime field, and becoming a lawyer simply allows me to analyze my criminal." A glint appeared in icy blue eyes and it took all the blond's willpower not to shiver. Alaude apparently had a fascinating kink for crime and law.

"You're only thinking of teaching for that nephew of yours, aren't you?"

"Inconsiderate prick he is."

"Sounds familiar." Giotto shuffled through paperwork. While Dino wasn't in his right of mind giving him the inheritance, and his mother was _nuts_ for trusting him so early on, it actually was easier of a job than he expected. Two weeks into business proved to be strenuous, juggling working and an education that _taught_ him what he was working, but it was fun. Very fun. "My brother's coming to check up on me sometime soon. You'll finally get to meet him."

"And get to know another of your kin? I'll pass." Certainly Alaude knew more than a brusque emotion from reading a text book. No? Hm, well, that was a subject touched far too many times in the past year.

"Dino and I act very little alike." Vindice? Giotto blinked, eyes falling to the detailed calligraphy of the name, then a summary of the business. _Work with the enchanted art of theatre production and bring to life a character not your own. _He'd never heard of it; not out of all the small businesses Celeste sent him. "I…doubt you two will ever get along."

Alaude looked up from his text book, leer at hand. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You hesitated before speaking. The idiot Boss I know never ceases with a smartass comment, and the curvature of your lip has changed. What did you find?"

"You earn every inklet of the grade you have in forensics." Giotto chuckled softly and rested his head on his hand. "What do you think of a man named Daemon Spade?"

Alaude arched an eyebrow, and the gaudy glimmer of apathy appeared in his orbs as he returned to his book, disinterested, and flipped a page. "Rarely do I question your taste in relationships, Vongola, because you have the luck of a wealthy mafia boss, and manage to make friends others high and low. However, now that you're in the business world, _not representing the child of a corporate businesswoman_, you should watch your back."

"You're awfully being overprotective for a man who dislikes getting emotionally attached."

"I still don't," replied the French adult sharply. "But out of an hour at a café, this is the first I've seen a goofy smile on your face. _Daemon Spade_ is purely business. Understood?"

"Yes, Father." In one ear and out the other. Alaude was not one who was easily subdued after a simple conversation. He was stubborn and hardheaded, but very strict and had less patience than a hormonal teenage boy. Giotto stood from his seat, purposely ignorant of the irritation passing over his roommate's face before throwing away his garbage.

A frown spread across calm lips and he took the time to review all the names that took his interest. Vindice was different from the other names Vongola would take up. What company – especially one working with theatre production – wanted to sell their creativity rights to a corporation hell-bent on stamping their names on everything? If Vongola were to take the name of Vindice, then Spade would never fulfill his dreams to the fullest.

In truth, Spade had a lot of good ideas. Giotto rubbed his chin thoughtfully before getting a glimpse of rusted red hair. Sparing a glance above, Cozart immediately came into view, but not in a state the blond himself was used to. A man stood with him, tall and lean and a meek expression across his demeanor. A hat much similar to the Shimon heir's own safely buckled the man's hair into place, and easily did his shoulders hunch, an exaggeration of his shyness.

Cozart looked ridiculously uncomfortable, which was odd, since the redhead easily made friends with anyone in his path. Once Cozart caught sight of the blond, however, the discomfort lifted from his face into absolute relief, and Giotto watched the redhead drag his handicap along with him.

"Late Christmas present, I presume?" Giotto mused. His eyes wandered to the shy-looking man, who appeared absolutely uncomfortable under his gaze. "What a looker. Roberto would know that you don't go for the type who hovers over you like skin on an orange."

Immediately the coy man's brow curled, offended by the shorter's bluntness, and pulled his hat over his face. "Do you perceive me as skin on an orange?"

"Mm. I take it back, he's a feisty one."

"This is Alexander. Alexander, this is Giotto." Cozart's eyebrows knit together, obviously finding something troublesome, and gestured to Alaude, who was watching them carefully. "Are you out on a dinner date with Alaude?"

"How long have you two been seeing each other?"

"Longer than you two. We're merely friends. Don't worry."

"I should. You're quite the looker."

"You're…not." Then again, no one ever said an intellectual conversation couldn't overlook a man's beauty. Giotto scrutinized the man in front of him, and although he had quite the buff body, he hid it obnoxiously under clothes that…well, quite frankly, came out of Cozart's closet. Speaking of the redhead, Cozart had tugged on his hat yet again, nervous, and looking worrisomely to the blond's roommate.

Alexander's eyebrow rose higher, if possible, and Giotto awaited a witty response. Instead, the man simply coughed, slightly recoiling, and he shrunk into an odd shell. "That's quite the accent you have, monsieur. Are you from Italy, just like Monsieur Cozart?"

"Just about," Giotto admitted. His eyes narrowed, recognizing the change in the man's personality immediately. One minute he was a man with a sharp tongue and mischievous glance, and the next he reverted back to a turtle in its shell. Cozart had apparently given up on conversation, and sought Alaude's company far in the café. Giotto thought it best to ask his original question. "You're quite an odd one, aren't you?"

"When you're the one staring at my groin?"

"It _is_ the head you're thinking with, isn't it?" Giotto copied the man before him, and obstructed said man from view. Alaude's glower and Cozart's concern were not friendly attention-grabbers. "You're not the type of person Cozart associates himself with. What are you doing?"

"What makes you think Monsieur Cozart does not like my type?" A blush spread across Alexander's cheeks, and Giotto debated on believing him.

"Because Cozart dislikes being ogled. You made your first mistake long ago before even starting the game." Giotto's eyes narrowed decadently, and he raised his head in contrast to his unhelpful lack of height. "Your words betray your standing."

"You shouldn't be so sure about a man you've barely met, monsieur. A well-played game is filled with surprises." In contrast to the petite clothes that destroyed the man's muscular physique, a firm smirk danced across Alexander's lips. Giotto wasn't sure if he liked it or loved it.

Instead, he drew out the adult more possible than imagined. "Surprise me."

"Oh," murmured the other adult, voice dropping at least three octaves. Giotto forced himself to hide the chills from a _masculine_ allure, and the vibrato of a merry tone made his toes curl. "Gladly, _love." _

OoOoO

Alexander proved to be a challenge in more ways than one.

Under his hat, Alexander was a brunet with a feisty attitude. Originally thought to be shy and reserved, Giotto was right in his findings. Alexander was sharp-tongued, witty, and never without a comeback. Whoever he was, Alexander was not the type of man Cozart would spend the rest of his life with, no matter the shy, gentle persona to the wicked and riveting debater. He was, without a doubt, Giotto's type.

If _only_ it was not for the horrible entourage Alexander thought fit him so well, then Giotto might have pursued him.

The meeting with Daemon Spade was scheduled for the following week. Giotto had become disgruntled, still adjusting to a schedule for schoolwork and business, and often times more than not, G was at his side coaxing him through it. The files and structure Celeste left behind for her son's own amusement was – although interesting, left the company in a financial position with many hesitant businessmen who were unsure whether or not Vongola should buy their stock.

Thank the Gods he was born a sex god. Just saying.

However, with G working by his side, going through default questions and instructions his mother left him was murder. Without an official advisor (a position Giotto offered Cozart, who perfectly had the experience and was expected to inherit Shimon one day, but denied because G refused) decisions normally went back and forth between the co-partners, until finally they agreed and the cliental peed their pants.

That part wasn't fun.

The day of his meeting with Monsieur Spade, he was running late from classes. A grimace spread across the lips of a self-proclaimed Sex God, and Giotto checked his watch in the back of his car. Granted the roads were not a safe place during the winter, he wished they would just hurry up. If _he_ had been the one driving, than they would have gotten there five minutes ago.

Then again, G advised he not get a license while they spent their time in France. Something about endangering the lives of those around them and becoming a domestic disturbance in the world of classic society seemed like it wouldn't be a good idea.

Giotto digressed, head dipping into the seat behind him, and looked up at what little research he could conjure of Vindice. There was less than he expected, and the company itself seemed close to nonexistent, according to his lack of information. A frown spread across his lips, gaze falling to the thin manila folder compared to the rest. He'd rescheduled everything specifically for this man, but knew not what he should expect.

"Where are Monsieur Cozart and Monsieur G, sir?"

Mm? "Cozart is currently avoiding G, I think. Then, G may be flying in to Namimori sometime soon."

"Is it not G who is normally doing the avoiding of Sir Cozart?"

Giotto flashed a smile to his chauffer. "Cozart has been a concern of his lately. The more preoccupied he is, the less likely he'll butt into my affairs."

"Pardon me if I risk my position, monsieur, but what would be the point of Monsieur G as your consort if you do not fully intend to use him in your business affairs?"

"Of course G is involved with my business affairs," Giotto responded, slightly offended. He cocked his head, eyebrows disappearing under his hairline at the absurd possibility that his best friend was given the short end of the stick.

G and he had known each other since they were little children, always together – whether it was holding hands or messing around and like any pair of best friends, they had their arguments and occasional fist fights. G, who went along with any idiotic idea Giotto had when they were little kids would be getting married in less than three months, and Giotto was to be the best man. Keeping G as his business partner…seemed the only way to keep his best friend at bay.

Gaspare Tempesta was his rock.

Giotto curled his fingers at the thought and cocked his head to the chauffeur. "I'm going to walk the rest of the way."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." The blond exited the car, not another word escaping his lips as he shut the car door behind him. G's marriage to Bianchi was a life-changing event for the both of them. He'd known G as the other to their pair, and it was an honor for once, to help his best friend rather than the other way around. Without G, Giotto doubted he could run life efficiently.

A reminder that he was ankle deep in snow came when at least three inches managed to seep into the creases of his boots. Well, damn. Frown spreading across his lips, the teenager rid himself of said boot and dumped soggy ice from his sock. Snow was beautiful, but entirely troublesome.

While ridding his boot of his troubles, he never expected to catch a glimpse of an odd figure – broad and cunning with a tall stature and fanciful smile. A body like that, Giotto couldn't help but feel he'd met once before, and lips so kissable that it sent a rocking sensation to his groin. Acting upon instinct, the blond licked his lips as he took sights of the delectable creature before him, who spoke to a plump old woman at the door down the street.

Giotto hesitated, unsure if he was allowed to approach, and froze.

Dark blue eyes. Deep, dark blue eyes from the mysterious caverns of the sea caught his sight, and they shimmered with a light nonexistent to the world. Giotto took a step back, overwhelmed by the incessant ringing in his ear as the gorgeous man at his feet knelt like a nobleman to the woman in front of her. She blushed; hand coming to her cheek with a soft coo, and Giotto became the easy target for the man holding a bundle of baguettes.

The fanciful grin spread across his lips caught Giotto off guard. The blond backed away, perturbed, but he found himself at a loss. "Bonjour."

"Bonjour." The dip in the voice of the man standing parallel to his feet made his skin tingle. A long, slender hand grazed down his forearm before taking hold of Giotto's wrist, hard and snug, to kiss the edge of his knuckles. "What is a beauty like you doing out here?"

Quick, a smooth smile spread across Giotto's face in retaliation, affects hidden under Celeste's beautifully constructed shield. Mimicking that of what was in front of him, and he curled his hand into a fist. "What a fine accent you have."

"British." With a keen grin – torn between naughty and impish or smooth and regal – the man yanked Giotto into the taller's form, and before the blond had a chance to register what had happened, he was being dragged behind, down the snowy streets of the beautiful town and through an alleyway.

"What are you – ?"

"Shh. You need to learn how to shut up, love."

Taken aback, Giotto was not given the chance to retaliate. One look at that ill-behave curl of the lip and Giotto could hear harps in his ears. It was kind of annoying, irritating. A familiar irritating, actually. As he found himself dragged away, far from his meeting, the blond got a better look at the…what was the color of his hair? Why did everyone suddenly have a fetish for hats? Giotto bit back a grin, regarding the Sherpa hat that tucked most of the man's hair back. Blue. It was a beautiful shade of blue, just like his eyes.

"I wonder which head you're looking up with."

Alexander. That was the face, and the snaky tone Giotto was reminded of. He snapped out of his ogling, eyes focusing to the narrow face and long neck. The face was the same – eyes and tousled brown hair. The few weeks they were together (Alexander becoming Cozart's own personal annoyance), Giotto liked the adrenaline and eye-fucking often involved with Alexander when Cozart and G weren't – well, they were always looking. It spawned interesting situations.

At that thought, mixed with the wit of his kidnapper, Giotto raised his head, eyes daring, and arched an eyebrow. "Won't those baguettes get cold in the snow?"

"And stiff." Apparently the attraction was very much mutual.

In that sense, Giotto felt his heart flutter from the flattery. Was he in over his head, following someone he just met – oh, maybe twenty seconds ago – to…somewhere else? With a sudden snap, Giotto collided with the back in front of him, and found a hand at his waist only half a moment later. "Ow."

"Cute~" And then there was a laugh. An intoxicating, absolutely _hazardous to Giotto's sanity, wellbeing, and growing boner if his pants weren't going to get any looser_ kind of laugh that caught the blond off guard. Seductive and hypnotizing, he fell under the spell with no hesitation while his captor gestured to the square they'd entered. "You are not a native to France, are you?"

"Italian." Speaking of which, his half-Italian blood was getting rather cold. Looking about their location, Giotto finally noticed the fountain in the middle of the square. People walked about, though few flooded the streets at this late hour. The sun, having been shrouded for two weeks already, lost its glow, and he was temporarily blinded by winter's fog. "Damn mist."

"'Mist'?" The man's face glowed with mirth, and Giotto felt his face warm against cold snow. "Mist is what you see in a rain storm, love. In the middle of winter, when vision is blinded, you call them flurries."

Flurries. Said in any form made Giotto crave a blueberry slushy. Not so easily could he be downsized by another, and he took the fact to heart as his eyes gathered to the fountain. He had no doubt it'd been shut down in worry of the weather, but rarely did he venture to this side of town – especially as a captive. "Mist can be tricky."

"Most things in life can be tricky, darling." The man with the baguettes in his grasp pressed a finger to the blond's face, and the chilling surge wasn't helping Giotto's circumstance. "But don't blame flurries for doing their job. They venture wherever needed and almost always unwanted."

"The mist blocks what is truly there and is a haphazard to community."

"Mist presents an obstacle for man to overcome. Fufufu. One of these days, technology will overcome nature. Who knows – maybe one day Man will find a use once more for fire. Make it a use for portable jewelry or something."

"How artsy of you."

"Theatre major." Giotto shivered. If it was anything that would be the end of him, it would be the charming accent of one.

"What's your name?"

"What is yours?"

"I'd rather not disclose my name to a man I've just met." Giotto curtly took a step back, but the electricity was lost. Fiery eyes gazed through watery blue, and the…the _steam_ glowed between elements on two ends of the same stick. Giotto, who was passionate and vivid, found himself an honorable opponent – fluid. _Icy_, alluring, graceful. _Passionate_ and _vivid_. His body trembled with excitement.

"Damon." The blunet lowered his head, eyes bubbling with a tempting concoction as he kissed Giotto's hand yet again. "Damon Sparks."

Sparks, there were. Giotto whipped his hand away, bashful for the first time in his life. There was only one man he ever pursued in his life, and that was Cozart. Cozart was nothing like this – not so initiating, nor so firm. Talking to Cozart made him touch the ground and took his head out of the sky. If G was his rock, Cozart was his foundation. However… "You make me feel like jelly."

"Jelly?"

Oh. He said that out loud. Another nervous emotion snuck into the pit of his stomach, one Giotto had never felt before: _embarrassment. _"Forget that. I have a meeting to attend."

"Really now?" A stupid grin spread across the face of one excited Damon's face. Quite frankly, the blond had never met someone who matched his…_interests_ so while. While trying to figure out a way to distract himself from the gorgeous Brit, the teenager backed away, hand over his mouth to hide his heated blush, before he realized the other was locked under the blunet's vice grip. "I mistook you for a little school boy playing dress up in daddy's clothes."

"You wouldn't feel that way if we were elsewhere." What he lacked in height he made up in size. Not easily provoked, Giotto pulled his hand away with the same effect: vivacious energy replaced by the numbness of freezing cold.

"Elsewhere, you say?" Damon raised his head and reminded Giotto of a tiger seeking his delectable prey. "We'll be meeting again."

Giotto never realized such a ghostly meeting could ever be so…seductive. The phantom of the blunet's breath graced his lips, and the musty heat made the blood in his veins dance in anxiety. If that was teasing, then an actual kiss would have driven him… He squinted, blinded by the flurries blinding his sight, and wiped his vision clean. Once he could see, Damon was gone.

_What on earth?_

He touched a hand to his lips, eyes darting left and right to find his conquest, but there was no sight of the blunet, or his stiff baguettes. Giotto halted, crinkling his nose as he realized their little escapade caused snow to bury his feet alive in absolute cold. He closed the top button of his trench coat and noted Damon dragged him closer to Vongola's building than expected.

Well then.

The walk was silent, snow squishing under his feet while streetlights flickered on and a night in town began. Looking over his plans, Giotto heaved a sigh, knowing he was at least half an hour late for his meeting with Monsieur Spade, and G wouldn't let him hear the end of it. First of all, Giotto remembered comically, his name was _Daemon-fucking-Spade._ If that wasn't a hint that one of Giotto's first clients was most likely some motorcycle-riding, tattoo-wearing _hooligan_ (and yes, the blond cracked up laughing when the word _hooligan_ left his best friend's mouth), then Giotto was crazy.

Then he promptly reminded his favorite hotheaded best friend that G ventured around France on a motorcycle and simply didn't like tattoos. And he fought a lot. One might even say G presented more danger to the blond than Mister Spade would.

He didn't expect said redhead to greet him at the gate of Vongola Inc. Even in the snow, the Vongola insignia gleamed under moonlight like an ethereal spi—

G shook him with no mercy. "Your meeting with Spade was scheduled half an hour ago! You're just lucky that he's – "

"G." Cozart's voice was tranquil compared to the other of their trio, and he restrained the taller man with very little ease. "Giotto has been walking for at least twenty minutes out in the cold. Would you like some hot cocoa?"

"I met someone." Oops.

"You…_met someone_?" A monstrous scowl spread across Hurricane G's face, and Giotto took a step back to ready himself.

"Just remember!" Cozart quickly shouted, and fell to the ground while his redheaded accomplice trudged forward, the usual look of rage passing over the taller's features. "High blood pressure can be caused by a short temper, and it shortens life expectanc—eep."

"Who is he? What did you do? Did you forget about your duties to this company when you inherited it only _two weeks ago_? Did you two fuc – ?"

"He's cute, er, right?"

"Oh, very cute." Giotto flashed a small smile, deciding to ignore one best friend in favor of the other. Damon was downright gorgeous. Reminded of the blunet's presence, the blond focused all attention to Cozart, curiosity teeming in his blood. "Let's get out of here before a blizzard comes. How are you and Alexander doing?"

With a start, Cozart arched an eyebrow under his hooded hairline. Was it not a topic open for discussion? "Alexander has been…better. But he left today. I won't be seeing him ever again."

Oh. Taken aback, Giotto nodded in understanding as they entered the elevator that would take them to the meeting room. "I think I'll miss him."

"There was always a bit of foreplay between you two, wasn't there?" Cozart tugged on his elbow, but his expression hadn't changed. "Watching you two go back and forth was a little unnerving. He was always a little different around you."

"He didn't suit your tastes." Giotto shrugged as they ventured into the empty meeting room. A grimace fell across his face, reminded of the dreary gray and frosty atmosphere. The next chance he had a break, it would be his mission to give Vongola Inc. a makeover.

"Oh?" Cozart raised his voice, and the gauntlet had been thrown. "What suits my tastes?"

Wasn't it obvious? "You're a caretaker." Giotto dug through his briefcase and sighed in relief as the Vindice files revealed to be dry. He set them on the table.

"Daemon called a little while back and said he would be late." G pulled out a chair and promptly sat down, sparing neither one a glance. Not that it was surprising.

Upon meeting Cozart almost four years ago, Giotto often went to their new friend's arms for comfort when it involved irritatingly high estrogen levels. While G was open-minded (the blond even had a theory his childhood best friend _liked_ being touched by a man), Cozart was the man he probably assumed Giotto would end up spending his life with.

The thought was endearing, but G was as stupid as his soon-to-be brother-in-law.

Pushing that thought aside, Giotto nodded to G's piece of information and pulled up a seat for Cozart. "You like being able to take care of people, but you're also really gentle, patient – and get a kick out of some entertainment. Obviously you're going to want someone who can surprise you once in a while. And take care of you. Someone like…I dunno."

Giotto shrugged, and every man he knew came to mind. Dino was full of…_predictable_ surprises, but that was a road Cozart pursued and held humiliating defeat long ago. Alaude was sex on a popsicle, but seemed like the type who would mark his territory. Lampo, though cute, was still five years their junior and absolutely annoying. To have someone that fit perfectly with Cozart…Patient to impatient, rational to irrational, and…charming to exasperation.

"Like G?" Giotto cursed as he dropped his pen and fell to the floor to pick it up. In victory he noticed neither man said a word and peeked up to the redheaded pair. Cozart was silent and contemplative, G was blank. "What?"

"No." Simple as that. Cozart shook his head, and suddenly his entire face twitched.

G was at his feet in a matter of seconds, and Giotto grabbed the nearest piece of rag he could find. G beat him to it, unbuttoning his cuffs before delicately putting force on friend's bloody nose. The domineering demeanor normally held by the tallest redhead disappeared, replaced with authority and tender care Giotto rarely saw. "Is the air in the room affecting your anemia?"

Cozart shook his head and Giotto smiled softly, hands massaging soft circles in the short redhead's back. "All this time I thought you were avoiding G. Why don't you take him home? I can handle Spade once he comes."

"You should really pay more attention to your health," G scolded weakly. He glared, but the feisty aggression was severely lacking. Without hesitation, the pair left Giotto at the end of the long table, alone and signing papers.

Nothing was heard over the scribbling of his pen. He must have continued this for thirty straight minutes while waiting for Monsieur Spade to appear. Grimace falling upon his lips, Giotto checked both his watch and the window where the snow was picking up. Certainly if Spade had gotten caught up under the weather, he would have called and rescheduled.

Suddenly the door knob turned, and Giotto cocked his head to the other side of the room, half expecting G. "Bonjour. Sorry I'm late."

Instead for the second time that night, he was met with an outrageously gorgeous man with a disturbingly familiar and tone. The blond stood from his seat, startled by midnight blue hair and ocean colored eyes. "Damon?"

It had to be Damon – they were clearly identical in every way possible, and Giotto would have bet money on it. However, this…this _imposter_'s eyes fell into immediate confusion, expression contradicting the feline prowess and a cheerful smile spread across his face. "Almost. I am Daemon Spade. Sorry that I ran late – there were certain things needing my attendance before this meeting. I apologize for this ludicrous wait."

If Daemon was Damon, then he hid the accent well. Giotto returned behind business, eyes scrutinizing the man one last time before ducking his head. "No. Sit down and let's discuss your idea behind Vindice."

There wasn't a witty comment, or a plan behind handsome eyes. This Daemon Spade was nothing but a bore, if Giotto could say so himself. There was _nothing_ entertaining about a man who didn't prove to be a challenge. Thinking back to Damon and Alexander, they carried a certain lure that excited is blood. Daemon was –

"Am I boring you?"

"Quite, honestly."

"Forgive me. Not very many CEOs are this young." Daemon's smile spread across his lips, apologetic and slightly amused. Apparently, the man was twenty-one, and originally created Vindice to tickle his interests in theatre arts and design. Although the ideas were interesting, Spade himself proved to be a joke. There wasn't an air about him that lifted Giotto from his daze other than his good looks. "Do you mind my asking?"

"Duh." Reminded that he was supposed to maintain authority and professionalism, Giotto ignored his own immaturity and resumed his work. Daemon had apparently finished talking.

"You have a divine silhouette, if your enormous ego doesn't attract people."

"How poetic." Not that it mattere—

"Nufufufu." No way. Giotto cocked his head and did a double check on the blunet sitting to his left. That laugh, that _sexy_ laugh that drove Giotto mad. Daemon continued his work, unfazed, but all the thoughts now came to the blond's mind. "I don't know which ego is bigger, love: the one in your pants or the one in your head. You're a shallow little man with a poor sense of judgment who clearly needs to grow."

"You're…" Giotto's mind still wrapped around his newfound, _incredibly creepy_ information, too busy to care that his pride had just been wounded. After all, it'd been wounded once before, _again_ without him even realizing it.

"I'm…?" And there it was. The humble face sported by Cozart's brown-haired nuisance, now perfected, turned into the cunning _foreplay_ Cozart both praised and scolded him for. "Would you like a baguette?"

"What do you take me for?" Stay calm. There was no need to put his personal feelings out on a plate, but Giotto found himself to be utterly outraged. "Alexander? _Damon_? Monsieur Spade, exactly what were you trying to draw out of me when you created this persona? Just _who the hell are you_?"

"I'm all of them." Well, _duh._

There was no use. Attempting to wrap his mind around the thought that he was fooled a total of three times in less than two weeks by the _same fucking person_ made him want to kill someone. In the face of Alexander, Giotto felt superior winning their battles of wit despite how ugly he thought the man. Damon…he was beautiful and unearthly, and his boldness sent chills through Giotto's spine. He was a mixture of Alexander's intellect and Spade's…_Spade's looks._

Giotto never felt so humiliated. Someone outside of his friends, _outside of his world_ saw his many shades, and the façade cracked long before he had the chance to try it out. "Cozart said you two parted ways today."

"Alexander and he parted ways today." Daemon's demeanor was no different. A sense of intimidation pulled at the hairs on Giotto's forearms, but he refused to acknowledge it. "I'm a man of theatre, love. The Arts – different personas and different characters make me who I am."

"And what did that make me? Your toy for the past two weeks?" Giotto seethed. This wasn't going as he planned.

"You know you're attracted to me."

No. No way. Getting involved with someone that was apparently screwed up in more ways than one wasn't what Giotto Vongola did. Giotto held himself unyielding, and a betrayal of character – a fucking twist in first impressions to the very last – went against his morals. A man harassing him like this needed to be in prison.

"What you've told me about Vongola has piqued my interest." Alexander…Damon…_Daemon_ raised from his seat, intact despite the blond's sour gaze, and planted himself over Giotto's shoulder. "However, there were certain things about your contract and the tone of your voice that shows you know Vongola Inc. can be better."

"Oh?" Giotto wouldn't dare make a change in Celeste's plans – not when he was still young and learning. This was a business deal. He had to keep that in mind. "Vindice is raw. You have no foundation under it."

"Then you can help me."

"Help you?" Giotto arched an eyebrow, expression unmoved, but skin warming at the suggestion of Daemon fucking him senseless on the table.

"I am your client, after all. Clearly you're still new to the business, and you said yourself you were the youngest in your family. Not including he-who-shall-remain-nameless. Nufufu." _Tsunayoshi._ The blond's lips fell into a frown, and bitter hate hummed in his ears. "Let me be your advisor, Giotto. Vindice may be raw as you say, but I'm putting all of my money into it. I've studied business for years now and have more experience than you and G put together."

"I don't know the first thing about you. Absolutely not." Giotto flipped through pages, refusal final, but Daemon's offer was tempting.

"You will watch me the entire way. While you and Gaspare concern yourselves with college classes, I will report any fluctuation in the business." Wet lips touched his ears, and the blond felt pending euphoria. "You need me. You _want_ me. Wasn't it only a few hours ago that you would fallen into my arms and make love with me?"

"Making love and fucking are two entirely different subjects." Giotto whirled around and almost hit his head on a perfectly sculpted jaw. It was the same one, he noted with agonizing anxiety, that was seen during every trick, every prank to poke at his weaknesses as a man. However, Daemon was right. One look into the eyes – eyes that definitely were not a different guise – and the attraction came seeping down Giotto's pants. However, even his heart was fluttering by the older, more mature gaze above him.

Daemon may have pulled him along, but he'd been right. Alexander had the intellect, Damon the looks, and Daemon the – _the everything._ Cozart sought a man who was impatient and tender, but to have someone so sly made Giotto's hormones go crazy. It was exhilarating. Could he honestly…fall in love with someone like him?

"If we do this – " No. Absolutely not. Never. " — you work for me. Anything you do, you do for _me._" Maybe. Totally.

"I have your trust?" Daemon smirked.

"No. You don't." Just his heart. Maybe. Almost totally. Giotto glared, nails digging into the arm rest as he stared deep into his new client's eyes. "If you..._ever_ trick me the way you did – deceive me for your own personal gain ever again, I don't want a thing from you. Understood?"

"Yes. And darling?"

Giotto's skin tingled with delight. _Darling?_ Lips slammed against his, and the blond never had the chance to reaffirm Daemon's supposed question. His teeth bruised from the force, now aching as they registered what was happening, but the blaze made his body forget how to function. The pressure alone made the tips of his fingers tingle, but nose-to-nose, hazy sweat against hazy sweat, made his entire body whine for more. Consent or not, he could feel the other nibbling at his bottom lip, simply massaging it for the taste.

His lips pulsed when Daemon pulled away, unaffected, and keenly grinned. Giotto instead was left stunned, and the lightheadedness almost made him faint.

"Shut up. You talk too much."

OoOoO

They'd been dating three months now. During those months, he got to know more about Daemon (the _real_ person) and the pursuit proved to be overwhelming. Cozart was nothing like Daemon, who swept him off his feet in a different chapter of his life.

"Fuck." He was scared. Giotto hissed, elbow hitting the corner of his desk, and he cursed himself for being so clumsy. A long, illicit moan escaped his lips, and the buckle to his belt quickly disappeared. Daemon bucked his hips, clothed-appendage-against-clothed-appendage as he savored a kiss on the nape of his boyfriend's neck.

One by one, the buttons on Giotto's shirt were slowly disappearing, and his skin became exposed to the world. Their meeting was sudden – one moment, Daemon entered his office, and the next, Giotto jumped him. Daemon disappeared. A lot. To have his boyfriend to himself was a rare feat in that month, and each time the blond asked a question, the blunet found a way to distract him.

This, however, was not a way Giotto wanted to be distracted, even of the euphoria behind each touch made his head ready to explode. "Are you nervous, love?"

"I've…_fuck_," Giotto shut his eyes, crooning to the sweet pleasure spiking to his untouched crotch. Was this really right? He sucked in a breath, tingles rising as a hand squeezed his nipple under an untucked shirt, and he curled his fingers into his advisor's back. "I've only done this with one other person, and – not like this. Not at all."

Daemon wasn't Cozart. He wasn't the nature hippy that kissed squirrels, hugged dogs, flower pressed, and knew what to say to make him smile. Their first time together had merely been experimentation, and neither one knew what they were doing. It just felt good. Yet three years from then, fingers buried deep into a man that had far better experience than he, the blond wasn't sure where his sanity had hid.

It felt good. Fantastic, because it wasn't simply a best friend he was trying it with. "I love you," he murmured. "I love you, Daemon."

"Nufufu. I love you too, darling." It would be the first time they ever touched either so intimately, and there was a difference between _fucking_ and _making love._ His entire body tingled at the thought, heart swelling into a feeling he'd never had before. "Do you trust me?"

Yes. Always. _Totally._ Giotto breathed in the intoxicating scent of his almost lover, and little-by-little, he could feel himself giving way to the man above him. Daemon dropped to the zipper of his pants, and he jerked, head spinning with overbearing bliss as the red of his bare chest raised, glowing at his jaw and tingling at his cheeks. Raising the blunet's head, he pressed a kiss to his lips and moaned as Daemon thrust against him. "Yes – _oh_…"

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

Well, I've gotten a lot of reviewers apologizing for what they may or may not have done. xD It was sweet and funny. We're now hiking up the rating for this story (which really should have been done monnnths ago) and I suppose it's about time. This chapter jumped around, but I didn't really want to get into much detail about their relationship. There are a couple things I had to change in my head and in the story, so if you're a little confused with the time-jumps, don't worry. I am too. And, uh. The new comic I'm working on, I kinda just got bored again. _This_ story was made to make fun of a manga and clichés with a couple living together under a lot of sexual tension.

xD Have you guys ever read stories, where the not-yet-a-couple is "bonded", and for a few months until they find a cure, the pair is stuck together, under sexual and romantic tension to understand more about each other? Since this story got a kick out of it, I figured I'd make a manga with another common idea. So. Yeah. The link's on my profile, but I can't promise you anything. Much better at writing than I ever am at drawing. It's called "Heart Strings." C: Andd it's only two pages long atm. xD;; Idk if this'll be the update for the week or not. We'll see on Saturday.


	24. bonsai trees and delirium

**Kanberry **–hearts back!- **Eyes17k **Cozart is such a sweetheart. xD I really do love writing about him. And his personality symbolizes something. **Mel-Chama **That's really sweet. C: I'm still working on my art. **ZirciX **Well, that's just how his personality is. xD Honestly, it was supposed to be a bit more foreboding, since everyone knows what Giotto didn't expect, and yet…a lot of people tell me they can see why they fell in love with him. It's odd. **XxMissR27ShootingStarxX **I kinda get bored when there's only one couple, honestly. xD But I mean, I could have done worse—I could have made the side pairings OC, rather than some crack and fanon. **Routasu **It's one of my favorite lines in the chapter, honestly. I wanted to put a lot of irony in the two chapters when it came to the relationships. C: **FaerieDemon **No, it's fine. I was probably really tired when I read that review. xD Yes, I drew the comic; I'm still working on it. Cozart's personality is so…so sweet and gentle, and I love capturing him like that, but also with a bit of wit that reassures you; he's Giotto's best friend alright. **Hanori Shiki **I love cheese. Did I mention I got grounded from it once? And yeah; I tend to be a fast updater if I'm bored or feel like it. C': Daemon is…I love getting people to have trouble labeling him. xD However, people falling in love with Daemon in that chapter wasn't really my intention, yet…I can see how it serves a good purpose? **Lilith Vaan **Mm, let's stay away from the RL names for a bit. C': Well, KHR is made by a girl, so I wouldn't be surprised. xD It's one of the only shounen mangas I can actually read and not be surprised if they suddenly have a mass orgie. **xRynnX **The snow day turned into a snow week. xD I've been off since this Tuesday and will be for the rest of the week. And I'm glad the update made your day better. C: **Dremagon **You know what the odd thing was? I forgot about the 'deal' matter, and when you mentioned it, I went on a search. And it fits in with my plans, so…it works. C': So thank you. xD **Meow Mixtape **I use Adobe Photoshop and brushes/screentones. C: I'm not particularly good at coloring; I'm still trying to force myself on that one. xD **totalamuto **It should. Aha. **PurpleBlue23 **I don't think he does, honestly. xD I think he notices that she doesn't stare at him like other girls at school does, and it makes him uncomfortable, but he hasn't labeled it as a crush, or sees why she likes him so much. And Giotto…hmm, I should write an explanation for that. C;** Cattwo28 **I want a Colonello/Enma plushie. D: And…I can't reply to your review either, because I had a point I was trying to push across. xD So there. What surprises me is how so many people like Daemon's character, even if I was trying to make him hated. **Ezcap1st **IDK? I don't read much of Hibari outside of 1896. xD Maybe it goes back to the anime/manga? Everyone else in the family viewed Daemon as a traitor, but Giotto saw him as a friend? C: **Ophianara Blade **I'mma take it the chapter seemed rushed? Mm? Truth is, the one I posted earlier in the weekend (22) had been done for a week. xD And then I couldn't focus on writing 23, so I posted it so I could get cracking. Takes me an average of two days to get a chapter written; I was pretty alright. **Anello di Tempesta **Well, it wasn't that smutty, rofl. Compared to what I wrote in this chapter, anyway. **Fan girl 666 **Thank you. C: **Okuri Soji **Hmm, interesting question. Thanks for the review! **Suzuru Seiyo **Mukuro is his godson, not his son. Oh dear, if Daemon was a father, you'd have to wonder about Giotto's health in pursuing an old man. **Breathless02 **That's good. C: **Rainbowbubble **That's flattering, I think? Haha. I guess I made Daemon turn out really sexy, even though I was trying to make him come across as creepy? Oh well, who knows. **Sonicfreak68 **Probably not _teach_, but you could study 'em? Haha. I'm really not the best person to reference for drawing. xD; **FalseMoon **Oh, I'm talking to you right now. C': and I tried to make G a bit…Gokudera-like when he was just a bit younger. xD I think it makes him cute. **KChoco **The chapter honestly had a lot of irony in it; I was hoping that it got across. xD Evidently it did, so…thank you. C: **Imitation Angel **Well, half the pairings in this story is crack, so that's understandable. xD I've stated the ages in there, but don't worry; I can see where you've gotten confused. **Nekoboy44 **Well. Ever since you gave me those songs, I haven't been able to stop listening to them. C': **missjinx **That's normally what I do; I don't really let the reviews change my planning if it changes the overall idea. xD So that's fine. Giotto's just…well, himself. xD He could probably get a lay out of a redneck. **ForsakenSilverShadowArcher13 **Surprised I updated so fast last week? xD Actually it only takes me a day or two to create a chapter, and 22 had been on my computer for a week by then. It wasn't that big of a strain on me; not one at all. C: **Mina Hikari **That's what I was thinking, trying to find an occupation for him. Theatre just seemed to work. C: **Red-gold-pink-yellow **Yup. I think I read it once reading a Pit x Ike story, but it was really odd. xD And you should know me by now; I really hate OCs. Would never use them if I didn't have to. Or can't find a minor character to shove in there. C': **Tangerine342 **I was actually worse with updates for a different story of mine. xD Used to put up a chapter every other day. **Copycat-capycot **Actually, I think you could describe their relationship as…Tom and Jerry. xD There are lot of personality traits Giotto and Tsuna share; they just don't realize it. And really? Hm. That's funny. **AAAA **Well, to be honest, there's already a lot of sex in this story with Giotto's life alone. xD But it's all about raising a teenage boy when you've only recently reached adulthood yourself. **Failing Mentality **Really now? That's a bit surprising; I never thought about it that way. xD **hermajni **Haha, that's very sweet. xD Sometimes writing gives me trouble, but at least it works out. C: **Rachel-chanx3 **Actually, you made me giggle when you started replying to each chapter. xD It was really, really sweet and surprising some days when you didn't reply. Congrats; I actually don't like retracing my steps and replying to previous chapters, so…it was just me being a stalker, I guess? **Fire Princess21 **I think you passed the underage mark when like, Tsuna caught Alaude and Giotto in the middle of sex? Rofl; that's okay. You're too young to read, and I shouldn't even be writing it. C': **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **I actually dislike putting breaks in my stories. Instead, I kinda just blend it into the text unless it's absolutely necessary. C': **myxs **Haha, that's a good way to put it. xD **LuckyStarWitch **It kinda goes with, "Giotto thinks his brother's crazy and the fact he bought a cat is nothing new". C': **iloveme264 **Well, that's flattering. xD;; But thank you. C:

**NOTE: **To describe Giotto's feelings in this chapter, I'd listen to the song, _Dust Storm_ by the Spill Canvas. Personally, I prefer the acoustic. C:

**chapter twenty-four has **bonsai trees and delirium.

His twentieth birthday should have been the turning point for his college years. No longer was Giotto a measly nimble teenager, but half an adult with a coy grin that easily struck down anyone in his past. The plans worked, Vendice would soon have a name for itself, and love was in the air.

Cozart had cancer. G married the girl of his dreams, but with the news of their best friend being deathly sick, Giotto didn't know if Bianchi and he were currently in touch, and school was becoming more of an annoyance than a true hassle. The last he heard from Roberto Shimon, he and his wife had visited several doctors and had conceived the 'perfect baby.' Cozart being Cozart, took the news with a tiny smile and a heavy weight on his shoulders. Roberto was a stubborn man very few people understood, and Giotto attempted many times to talk them out of having a second child. Roberto and his wife ignored the suggestion, and the look was clear in his eyes: it wasn't any of Giotto's business.

No one wanted to talk about it. They were three months into Cozart's cancer treatment, and very few things kept Giotto's mind on anything other than his best friend. This wasn't fair – this wasn't _right._

"What are you doing?" And it was something Daemon normally took his mind off of. Giotto's body tingled with the afterglow of sex, sweat drenching his hair as it ran down the side of his cheek, and the feeling of ecstasy made him question if it would ever vanish. Red spread across his cheeks, and he consciously watched his lover slide to the end of his bed, welts visible under the moonlight. Small, swollen crescents decorated the other man's shoulder blades, and whenever given the chance, the blond would watch them.

Muscles he didn't know the names for bulged and twisted when Daemon raised his arms. Never did he wince, and it seemed the little, troublesome blemishes caused by the blond were no problem at all.

It was a problem when Daemon grabbed his shirt, his underwear, and any other article of clothing shed when they smashed everything within the apartment – sliding over couches, knocking over lamps in attempt to stumble through the bedroom door – when they were barely done. Any sign of weariness Giotto once had disappeared into worry as Daemon pulled out a manila folder clearly marked, _SHIMON._

"Where are you going?" Giotto's voice dropped to a soft whisper, and he crawled to the end of the bed. While Daemon proved to be an amazing advisor, he was also gone months at a time for some other job. The blond realized this immediately, and although stressful, their relationship hadn't tarnished. The days his lover returned made everything else seem unimportant, and the cycle was always the same: kiss, say 'I love you', foreplay, more kissing, sexual frisking, tongue-fucking, sex where the words, 'I,' 'love,' and 'you' were common mantras, and cuddling.

"I'm leaving you, love." _What_?

"You're going back to Japan for some business?"

"No. Fufufu." A grin spread across the lips of one Daemon Spade, and he stood before his pants. "Your stupidity was one of your cute qualities. Have you checked your desk for files over Shimon recently?"

"_Why_?" The atmosphere was quickly taking a turn for the worse. That very grin was a reminder of all that frustrated Giotto when they first met – puzzling, but knowing his every move before the idea could cross his mind.

"Every file, every little piece of data about Shimon, I now own. Two _years_ taken, but I'm finally done. France is such a dreadful place. Oui, oui?"

"Those files we shared so we could create a better partnership with Shimon. It's between Cozart and me." His heart raced, rapture diminishing as he stood to his feet. "_Daemon._ Put those files down. They're not yours."

"They're not yours, they're not mine~ They're the company I sold them to." The blunet flashed a grin, and the full moon glimmered high in his orbs, inhuman. "Do you know how annoying you are, love? _Pleasing_ you? _Falling in love_ with you? Granted it's my best theatre production up to date – to believe a bloke like me would fall for you."

Annoying? Falling in love? Giotto's body trembled, rage poisoning his mind as _every fucking thought_ filled his mind. "I was your fucking project again, wasn't I?"

"No. Cozart Shimon was my project, and getting all the benefits to bringing Shimon down. _You_ and your irritating smile, and your god-awful ego thinking you're higher than everyone. Nufufufu~"A grin spread across the lips of…Giotto didn't even know what to call him anymore. "You…in my bed. God, knowing so much about you – do you know how much you're worth, love? You've just bought me dinner for the next three years once your competitors get a hold of you."

"If you give that information about me, none of my competitors will take me seriously." Giotto's eyes narrowed. "I'll be the laughing stock of the business world."

"You know what the best part of all of this is?" Daemon arched an eyebrow, head raised high. "I don't have to care anymore. Goodbye, love."

A kiss to the lips never felt so wrong. Poison to his mouth, Giotto's body immediately swelled to the thought of making love – _no, not making love. They never __**had**__love, this wasn't…this… – _and he choked, brain shutting down and screaming like a horror movie. He shoved the…the _Neanderthal, _the _creep_, the…the…he didn't have a word for it.

Giotto shoved him away, lust overpowered by anger, with any small canal of hope that their relationship would reappear unscathed having drowned in a sea of anger and disgust. Things were only made worse when the much taller, much _sleeker_ man stayed on his feet, expression sly without one hair out of place. "Give – "

And what was he supposed to say? Not a word left his mouth after his sudden outburst, and he couldn't tell himself to act rational. _Fuck_, he wanted to beat the daylights out of the man whom for _years _irritated him. What was he to do, _especially_ since the man that he just shoved simply laughed?

"Cute. Bye, love." Daemon inched further to the door and –

"I expect to see you back if you go through that door – I'm tired of your little pranks."

"Do you think everyone out there is here to please you? Bloody hell, man! You're annoying – _irritating!_ You only have two categories in that little head of yours: the people whom you hate and those that serve you. I don't serve you." The Brit raised an eyebrow, eyes narrowing with much arrogance – no. _Condescendence _and an air of superiority meant specifically for Giotto himself. "You served me – gave me all the information I needed in one head and kept the other _warm_ and _tight_ and _cozy _–"

"_**Daemon!**_"

The door slammed shut, impact sticking to Giotto's skin like the disgusting cold sweat in he what he was currently lathered. His fingers tightened through the sheets, heart beating _intensely_ and aching. Everything felt numb – so numb, so isolated with the anger fueling under a golden blond scalp.

A _creak_ could be heard – low and irritating as it peeled open, but he had no doubt. On the other side was a dark emptiness – a cavern shared intimately in his heart, and he forgot the name of the beautiful emotion that used to make it glow.

OoOoO

Just because Giotto wasn't well-known for his temper tantrums didn't mean he outgrew them. For years he solidified the apathy Celeste often kept as the crowning asset to her demeanor – the appeal that made men roll over and women blush. Dino took the cuteness, but Giotto was certain he won many over with an air of calm, serenity, and a lot of sexual pheromones.

That was what he grew up with – but he _hated _reliving an emotion convinced he'd outgrown. Giotto promised himself not to let his anger get the better of him – not since the knife incident with Tsunayoshi. Quite frankly he was scared of his emotions when rationality seemed a far off dream, and with the last bit he managed to scrounge, Giotto rushed through hospital doors _far_ past visiting hours once decent and went to a room he knew by heart –

Before stopping.

"You really didn't have to." Cozart.

"I wanted to. You like trees, don't you? Obviously you can't grow one in here – so I bought you a bonsai tree." G. "It's… fuck, it's not the biggest thing in the world, but it's not like you have to water it or anything."

"The gesture is sweet…will you stop looking at me like that? Please?"

"Like what?"

"Like I'll break at any second. Like if you _touch_ me or yell at me or even _look_ at me, I'm going to die."

"You're not going to die."

"G – "

"_You're not going to die_, you little _asshat._ We've got too much shit to do, and during that shit, I need some little pest of a ladybug on my shoulder to make me sound stupid, got it?"

"I – G – "

"And so what? So what if I can't _touch_ you, because each time I do, I remember how _small_ you've gotten, or how much _weight_ you've lost, or the fact that I can't yell at you – fuck, I'm yelling at you now, so let's skip that one – but so what if I can't look at you? So what if I look at you, and I think – I think…fuck, forget that one, too."

"G…" A silence hung dead in the air. "How's Bianchi doing?"

"Who…what?"

Giotto swung the door open, blood having gone numb, and he couldn't recall the expression running across his face. Something about anger – something about hurt, but the moment he set eyes on G leaning precariously over Cozart's hospital bed, the redhead leaped away, eyes doubling and ready for the blond's latest neurotic comment, but it never came.

"What's wrong?" Cozart, the calmer of the two, readjusted himself on top of the small bed, eyes falling to Giotto's form with confusion. The blond didn't miss G's sudden interest in stuffing pillows, but clearly neither redhead found that fact out of the norm.

"Daemon's gone." Silence. Giotto's head ached with a horrid dissonance that would cause a musician to faint. Part of his brain failed to operate, mouth deserted of words as G took pity on the poor blond and set him in a chair like the bonsai tree and although endearing, the touch wasn't what he needed. Giotto's arm twitched slightly and he fidgeted, head bowing in shame. "I need a moment alone with Cozart."

G was defiant. A certain leer appeared in his eyes, one Giotto knew absolutely well when the redhead insisted pressing on the blond's peculiar habits and often he shrugged them off. G opened his mouth to speak before quickly being cut off by Cozart, who gestured toward the door.

"Please?"

It was like watching a small lamb fending against a wile coyote. Assertion turned into hesitation, and as the gruesome look spread across the smaller, more petite redhead's face, G surrendered and ducked into the doorframe. "I'll be back."

"G—"

"What?"

"About that tree…" Cozart smiled softly. "Thank you."

Giotto watched between the pair as a lingering gaze overtook the room and its previous inhabitants. He waited patiently, eyes darting between the pair obviously lost in their own little world before G softly nodded like the brute he was known as and left the room. He cleared his throat, tearing Cozart out of his apparent daze before clutching the ends of Cozart's handmade blanket; undoubtedly one of G's many gifts.

"Sorry," murmured the redhead. He swung his legs over the side of the mattress, back cracking in a symphony of sounds like he'd just woken from the dead. "G hasn't left my side in hours. He scared the nurses off…but he'd kill me if he found out I was moving. I think he thinks I'm paralyzed from the neck down."

It was a more than visible contrast in the auras between Giotto's most valued friends. For years, G had been gruff and aggressive, which only worsened when news of the divorce and separation came years back when they were barely budding the age of eight, followed by the announcement of _that woman's_ pregnancy. A desire to protect the blond was easily read in G's actions, but his methods could often be seen as absurd. Cozart…Cozart was sweet; gentle as nature, and always held a smile on his face even through adversity.

He adopted Cozart under his wing the first day of school, fascinated by his love of nature and the way his eyes would somberly flicker when he thought no one was looking. He held a certain magic that enticed all who came, and even the new baby, who was expected next month, Giotto already knew Cozart would instantly love.

Cozart's light heart contradicted G's intense passion, but it was a mix all too delectable. When Giotto didn't retort to Cozart's little joke, the frailer man brushed hair out of the blond's face. Giotto twitched, eyes focusing onto the man with an endearing gaze and twisted his hands on his pants.

"What happened?"

"Everything." Cozart knew better than to respond when Giotto began to exaggerate and become vague. "From the start…he'd been using me and today, he told me: I'm annoying, and I was just his little fucking _servant boy_."

"Giotto—"

"He stole all my information, Cozart." Sun-kissed flesh turned a horrid white, and Giotto ducked his head, nails digging into his skin. Anger flared through his mind, returning before witnessing the scene with the frail little tree that seemed perfect for his best friend. He hung his head in shame, chest pounding and epidermis broken. "All of it. He's planning to use the information we had on Roberto and bring down _Shimon._ I'm sorry, Cozart – _so, so sorry._"

"Giotto." The redhead's voice quieted softly and Giotto dared not to look him in the eye. "…it's fine. It's…more than fine."

It would be years until Giotto realized why his best friend was not going to throw him out the window and separate all links between them. Giotto looked up, honey eyes stunned as his best friend managed to render him speechless for the umpteenth time in their lifetime together, and he could feel the anger escalating. "Your family is going to go into debt, Cozart. Your father isn't exactly known for playing it safe – and there are a ton of hospital bills between you and the new baby. Cozart – _you have cancer_, and if you died, it'd—it'd—" O-Oh…god…

"Hey." The other adult, much smaller in his stature, soothingly brushed the edge of his best friend's shoulder and leaned close, small smile on his face. A long line of bruises revealed themselves on the side of his thin arm as he traced the seam of Giotto's suit, and he coiled his fingers under Giotto before more damage could be done to his own flesh. The sadness appeared in his eyes, much like it did ceremoniously early in the year, and a tiny smile stretched the adult's lips. "I hate it when I'm the only one who isn't caring for tomorrow."

"I…" He'd crossed the line. The blond knew this little fact the moment he left his mouth, but it hadn't registered how harsh it sounded on his tongue. Shutting his eyes in horror, Giotto let out a trembling gasp, and he couldn't believe it. He was such a jerk. "It's…been a crazy year. I'm sorry."

"G's the same way. It's fine."

"It doesn't make it fine, no matter what you say," Giotto snapped sharply. The fiery allure reappeared in his eyes, pandemonium building in his chest before he recoiled from a cautious Cozart. G—rambunctious G, who snapped more than a turtle – was the kind of aggression Cozart was used to. Giotto loved provoking the eldest of their trio, and deep down under Cozart's sweet interior, the feeling was most likely mutual. However, it was that same "feeling" that immediately caused the blond's blood pressure to rise and simmer. "Do you think G or I would be the men we are without you, Shimon?"

"Well—"

"It's you that kept us grounded. You played peacemaker—made me think in the view of an older brother so that maybe, maybe _one day_ I could go up to Tsunayoshi and see him again, and G? He has never been so _trusting_ of someone like you. You caused our little world to grow, and we spent the best years of our life—_college and high school_—together where we had each other's backs. We were _co-best men_ at G's wedding, and we graduated school together. We're going to graduate college together, you're going to inherit the business, and some day, if I get over that bitchy irritation over annoying little kids, we're going to adopt, and maybe in twenty years if neither of us have someone, get married.

"But to get over that, we have to cross this bridge, and…worrying about your bloody noses, or bruises, or vomiting…we're scared, Cozart. We could have all of these fantastic memories, or…we could lose you." Giotto's eyebrows furrowed. "I wouldn't be myself anymore. Neither would G."

"…I'm not going to die," Cozart said with a lingering, unreadable emotion. "Twenty years from now, we're still going to be together, laughing and joking around and making fun of G whenever he does something stupid. You and I…we're going to play with his little princess, and his sport, remember?" No answer. The redhead slid out of bed, knees touching the ones in front of him, and he cupped the blond's face gently. "We're going to be together for a long time. I'm not going anywhere."

"Cozart," the blond murmured softly. He shut his eyes, hair meshing at odd points as he shook his head and a somewhat serene smile overshadowed his features. "I love you."

"Love you too." Cozart set his hands on the indent of his best friend's neck, and he pressed their foreheads together. "But it's not the love that I can give you. Daemon…Daemon was your first—"

"No." Giotto's eyes narrowed frightfully, rage consuming the empty crevasse in his chest, and he stood up looking almost ten times his size. "I let my guard down when it came to him – I let him in, and because of that, Vongola Inc. suffers mistakes. I'll have to backtrack, recreate the business and—"

"Business?"

"Yes, business—"

"Giotto," Cozart stopped him with the ferocity of a lion, hand catching Giotto's wrist before the blond could strike. Cozart evidently thought he already had, eyebrows furrowing in concern but eyes reading Giotto as if he'd gone mad. "Giotto, what about your heart?"

Heart? "What does that have to do with anything?"

Perturbed, the other adult pressed harder for his answer, shocked as if he'd seen a ghost. "You and Daemon have been together for two years. You've always delved yourself into work when he was taking his trips and—not once, _never_ have you accused him of being unfaithful. I…Your relationship, I've always respected the way you were in love. I've wanted that feeling."

Cozart respected him for being a fool in love? He respected the way Giotto would gaze at Daemon even though he was a manipulative bastard that always lied? The way Giotto's knees would_ foolishly_ turn to jelly whenever Daemon ran his fingers on the sensitive spot under Giotto's—

"My brother entrusted me with Vongola," The curve in his finger nails dug into the palms of his hands, and like a VCR set on rewind, all the emotions and adrenaline rushed through the half-Italian once again, nerves unsettled and goose bumps diving at the brim of his skin with much distaste. "And my mother trusted his judgment. Love isn't something I can afford running this business, Cozart. To have such a…a _miniscule_ feeling mess with my hormones is a mockery of my character."

"Two years ago it wasn't a mockery over your character." Well, who was the one overreacting _now_? Cozart's eyes fell, reluctance and disapproval fluttering in maroon orbs as a frown contorted his lips, worry very much present. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine." A rush fled his mind, anger replaced by a child's curiosity as he looked to his best friend with a certain oddity not even he could place. What was he going to say, he was absolutely _furious_ with Daemon for hurting his feelings? He was angered by the fact Daemon manipulated him? Yes. But originally, Daemon had been a business deal – he'd been an advisor that gathered outside information for him, and…and they made a promise. And it wasn't a promise it was….a contract. A business deal.

_If you...ever trick me the way you did – deceive me for your own personal gain ever again, I don't want a thing from you. Understood?_

A verbal agreement without any rules except for one: Daemon was to leave him alone, to never again come in contact with the shorter man if Giotto became his little joke once more. That part of his life was no longer an impression on his character, and like most business deals, Giotto could leave things be.

"I'm fine," Giotto repeated, short of breath. His brow twitched, an annoying buzzing clouding his ear drums as he looked to Cozart, who, still unconvinced, touched a hand to his forehead. His chest clenched painfully, but the reason abandoned the blond's psyche. It didn't hurt. _Honest_. "I'm fine."

"…you're alright with Shimon." Though painful, the redhead changed the subject, fingers wrapping around the frame of Giotto's delicate face. Maroon eyes shone with mild hesitation, but Cozart was undeterred. "It…it works."

"But when you inherit the company—"

"I won't be inheriting the company." _What_? Cozart shut his eyes, softly scooting away, and a look struggled to conjure across his face. Shame gleamed in the other man's eyes, and he held onto Giotto's hand tightly, fear dancing across his features. "I've…_never_ planned on inheriting the company."

"What do you mean?"

Silence. Giotto watched his best friend become lost in his thoughts, invisible to the world around him, and noted a hat was no longer pressing onto unruly red hair. Cozart wasn't as bad as other patients—far from it, actually, but the fact he hadn't been eating as healthily as he should gleamed in the dainty hospital gown draped over his body. Delicate, dainty painter hands were now bony and gaunt, and his cheekbones shined in broad daylight. Though, even under intensive care and cautious watch, Cozart still looked as beautiful as the day Giotto met him.

So beautiful, so sweet. The same man Giotto first thought was making out with a squirrel. Little smile etching from cheek-to-cheek, Giotto kissed his best friend on the nose and weakly smiled. "So. You and G?"

Surprised, Cozart looked up, hands pressing against his captor's. The blond's smile widened softly, and with relief, the message came across clearly: _tell me when you're ready._

"What about G?" Red sprinkled across the scrawny man's cheeks, lips curtsying and eyes twinkling bashfully.

The door burst open, followed by what appeared to be a giant fish tank, a lamp, and two long legs. "Alright, I don't know if pets are allowed, but I knew that bonsai tree was gonna get lonely, and I know you like turtles, so I bought you a turtle from the pet store, and apparently he was really close to this other turtle, so I bought that one too, and—"

Looking over to Cozart, the smaller man opened his mouth to speak, but apparently had nothing to say.

G's eyebrows furrowed, immediately concerned. "What? Did someone die?"

"This is what you get for falling in love with a married man," Giotto murmured softly, grin spreading across his lips. He burst into quiet laughter as Cozart turned three or four shades of red his tallest best friend was ignorant to.

"We're not…I mean—"

"They're red-eared slider turtles." G stumbled into the small hospital room, kicking the door closed behind him before setting the tank delicately near the window. One large box rested in the middle of a near-aquatic tank, and he smiled kindly to the pair near the bed. "Both boys. What do you wanna name 'em?"

Red-eared turtles. Red-_headed_ best friends. "I'm a little offended you didn't find a yellow turtle."

"Well, you can suck one." G rolled his eyes, but they both knew it didn't mean a thing. In a sideways glance, concern was visible in his orbs, and the immediate desire to protect him. Funny. Giotto hadn't seen a look like that meant for him since Cozart's condition worsened.

_Is everything alright? _

_Yeah. _Everything was fine. Totally. Extremely.

"Oh, looks like they're wrestling." G blinked, raising the box for all to see. "The one on top is really aggressive."

"The one on bottom's pretty small." Cozart smiled dearly, sliding slowly out of bed, and stood at the tip of his toes near the other redhead. "His shell looks like a hat."

"Uh." Giotto arched an eyebrow. "I don't think they're wrestling."

"What the—_Giotto!" _Followed by a ridiculous scream that the half-Italian apparently turned two gifts from Mother Nature gay, Giotto and G were immediately kicked out of the hospital for the rest of the night. Apparently they had been too loud.

OoOoO

Mariana-Emilia Gabriella Shimon.

Two months had passed since Shimon's fortune plummeted, barely hanging by a string and what trust fund was left behind to an angered Roberto Shimon. In two months, Lucia Shimon had given birth to a beautiful baby girl, who, like many other families, was intended to be taken care of by a nanny. _That woman_ being Giotto's nanny at such a young age simply made him distrust their kind altogether, and in spite for the Shimon parents, he hoped the new nanny would rip the pair apart.

Unfortunately piling on hospital bills for Cozart's treatments, and making sure Mariana-Emilia was in perfect shape, a nanny was out of the question. The Shimon Family was now _poor_, without a dime to their name, and sinking into the shadows, Giotto made it his responsibility to take care of Cozart's bills. Roberto wouldn't let him, but—

"We're out of diapers."

"Then go buy some more," Giotto murmured softly. Looking up, the twenty-year-old CEO faced the irritating sight of a one-and-a-half month-old child being rocked back and forth in the arms of his masochist of a best friend. A small smile tugged on his lips, and he watched G, whose eyes had more rings than century-old trees, pace back and forth in Giotto's loft on the other side of his office. "I hate children."

"I kind of got that feeling when you stuffed her in the aquarium with the turtles," G narrowed his eyes, brow stressfully arched under his hairline. "Why don't you like her?"

"I'd like her more if she wasn't dressed like a sparkly, sequined rainbow." Then again, only one of them was gay, and his straight sidekick simply didn't know how to match colors. Sighing, Giotto peeled away from the wooden desk and stood before his best friend, arms extended. G recoiled, jumping maybe two feet back with a cautious look on his face. Giotto blinked. "Excuse you?"

"What makes you think I would leave you with a baby that you stuffed in an _aquarium_, Giotto? Cozart doesn't want a hair on her out of place!" G held Mariana-Emilia closer, arms tucking the small baby as if she was a delicate instrument, and it summoned a giggle or two from her lips.

Giotto sighed, warily looking at _THE DEVIL_ before tucking his hands in his pockets. Mariana-Emilia had soft patches of curly red hair, hidden under a cute hat with a bow on it. Just like her brother—except, you know. Without the bow. Bright, rosy colored eyes signature to the Shimon Family shimmered, but immediately her lips quivered into a fat pout, and the obnoxious stench of poop permeated through his office.

"Oh, _God._" G crooned, eyes rolling to the back of his head as Mariana-Emilia began to whimper and sob for her mother—or in this case, G, who'd been taking care of her since the week after birth. Giotto's lips twitched with a small smile, and he took the baby off his best friend's hand without a second thought.

Just because he took the baby away didn't mean he knew how to hold one. Quickly, G appeared at his side, arms wrapping around the shorter adult's frame to create a comfortable position for the baby. Giotto crinkled his nose. "She stinks worse than Cozart's turtles."

"Watch it," G glared and leaned closer to the blond, torsos touching. Giotto twitched and shifted to the right.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting your wallet like I always do." Blindly, G dug through his best friend's back pocket and revealed the small wallet Giotto carried around with him. "_One of us_ doesn't want the office to smell like baby shit. Though I'm surprised. Don't you carry a checkbook nowadays?"

"I've also got a partner who does all the shopping for me," Giotto murmured airily. He shifted uncomfortably, sweat collecting at his palms as G pressed up against him, and faintly did he become aware of the redhead's breath tickling his ear. It felt…bad. Really bad. He noticed his hand shaking before G did and quickly passed Mariana-Emilia over to the taller adult, sweat moistening his hairline.

And like always, G's sixth sense immediately noticed something off kilter. "What? No crack about me being unfaithful to my wife?"

"Freebie." Giotto smiled weakly and returned to his desk. Just…_what was that_? He didn't _normally_ freak out when G was so close. Granted, they spent more time visiting Cozart, their intimacy having faded for a while, but… He shoved the thought aside. "How are Bianchi and Hayato, anyway?"

The redhead's expression turned grim, mildly uncomfortable and slightly disconcerted. "You know Hayato: always complaining about his sister. Hates it when I gotta leave, come back to France, and not get a word for two or three months."

"You could always suggest they move up here." Looking through his papers once more, Giotto rummaged through his desk for a pen, and the answer was already clear.

"I can't do that." G's voice was soft, and he chuckled gently, rocking the stinky baby back and forth in his arms. "They've got a life in Namimori. The kid's got an entire life, and his sister had to build it for him since he was so shy. Relocating them to France would make them both miserable."

"I know." He set the pen down slowly, fiery orbs returning to the small baby nestled tightly in his best friend's arms, and couldn't help but smile. G would be twenty-two soon, and with Mariana-Emilia in his arms, he already looked like a new parent. "G?"

"Yup?" G juggled the baby bag on one shoulder and offered a tiny, _My First Dolly_ to Mariana-Emilia.

"When Cozart's cured of his cancer…when all of this is all over, let's move to Namimori." Dropping his things, the blond watched surprise appear on his best friend's face. He smiled slightly and rested his head on his hand. "We've been best friends since childhood, and I don't want to keep you from your family. We can move when we're sure Cozart's healthy."

"I…If you're…" G blinked, and an unreadable expression surfaced across his features. "If you're…sure…"

"I don't want you separated from your family as long as you have been." Giotto shrugged, delicate smile spread across his lips.

"Giotto, making me your business partner two years ago was one thing." The redhead firmly shook his head, and the epitomic reluctance demanded his features. "I can't ask you or…or Cozart to move to Namimori with me. You'd be abandoning your life in France."

"But if I don't," Giotto said steadily, "I'd be abandoning life with my best friend. My _brother._"

Silence. He knew he'd rendered the redhead speechless, but what else was there to say? Giotto and G spent most of their lives together, even as far as thinking like one another. A life without G was easily a life without air, and with the possibility of losing one friend, he definitely wasn't going to lose contact with the other.

"We can discuss this later," Giotto promised. He smiled softly and gestured toward the door. "Now get out. You're stinking up my office."

"…you're too good to me." The redhead sighed in defeat and nodded with approval. Finally, he disappeared and nothing else could be heard.

"No," Giotto said with a bit of relief to no one in particular. "_You're_ too good to me."

He delved into work, knowing only in a few hours he would have to go to Cozart and see how he was doing. Mariana-Emilia may have been a new blessing to the world, but to the Shimon Family, she was also a huge burden. Cozart was all too accepting of the new baby—which really, _really_ got on Giotto's nerves. But that was the difference between him and his best friends.

It was harder for Giotto to let go of grudges, no matter the gentlemanly front he pulled for his colleagues and clients. It was a Herculean task to casually smile, fanciful charm, and only became harder since…since _that._ Ever since Daemon, he couldn't look any of his clients in the eye, anger boiling in his stomach. G had to take over, and often it ended with Giotto getting into a car and checking up on Cozart.

Daemon pissed him off—getting all the riches of Shimon, getting all the riches for Vendice, and—it wasn't right. It just _wasn't fucking right._

"_Nufufufufu~" _

Giotto's breath hitched. He dropped the pen between his fingers, laugh sleeking through his ears and nearly sending his body into cardiac arrest. No…that wasn't… He turned around, distraught, and immediately relief fluttered through his features. No one was there. Daemon was nowhere to be seen, and for the past two months, not a trace was left behind of the man he once…

His ears blazed a horrid red, and the blond pushed the thought aside. No. The stress of work was just getting to him—and Daemon was known for his sneaky entrances. Having Spade creep into his house or office was nothing new—just a feeling that'd be felt, then put back in storage. For his body to react…no. Yes. It didn't matter.

He resumed his work, not intimidated by his own mass thoughts, and looked through files Doctor Ootori demanded of him.

But it was like earlier—how G's body was pressed to his, firm and stocky compared to Giotto's own dainty figure, and the breath in his ear. Giotto rubbed his eyes, quick to force his weariness to disappear; to forget about the way his best friend's arms wrapped around his waist delicately and intimately, like they _always _did, to get his wallet out of his back pocket.

Not…not like how Spade would force him close, cup his ass and grind against him into the table.

The buzzing returned in the blond's line of sound, and the slippery, salacious tongue nibbled on the shell of his ear. Giotto suppressed a moan—a whimper, even—as teeth bit into the rough skin, and he remembered the way lips would kiss him at his neckline, right behind his left ear, and the way it made him reach euphoria.

"_Do you like that?" _

"_O…Oh, __**yes**_**. Keep going—**_**yes…" **_

Giotto spun out of his chair, body spiking forty degrees from panic and filth, and that voice—those moans; horrible, _horrible_ moans that filled his mind. He clutched his ear, face flushed at the memory, and saliva fresh on his skin.

No one was there.

The sensation, those months and years put forth in that relationship, Daemon knew every one of his sensitive spots—how to make him moan, cry, mewl, groan, croon, hum, sing—and even silent cries of pleasure, back against walls, chairs, bed frames, with him arching in pleasure and cumming all over himself. Even intimately by just his best friends…it felt wrong. So, so, wrong.

And he was shaking again. _Damn it._ Giotto pushed the thought out of his mind, headache producing, and buried his body into the case of his seat. No one was there. There was no reason to panic.

"_Do you like this?_" There was…he didn't need to…

A head rested unto the crook of his neck, large hands rubbing smooth circles in his back, and midnight blue hair tickling his nose. It'd been a stressful evening after exams, and although Giotto wanted nothing more than to curl into his boyfriend's arms, he couldn't. Vongola came first—he _promised_ himself that.

But…with Daemon…massaging him; coaxing him, moaning into his ear, he w-wasn't sure…

Each button of his suit had popped off quicker than the last. One hand rested at the juncture between Giotto's hipbone and leg, fingers prodding his thigh while the other fingered his naval. Giotto remembered twitching. He remembered bucking his hips, loud moan echoing into the silence of Vongola Inc., and he remembered Daemon biting into his neck, leaving a solid hickey on his neck.

He remembered it. He could _feel_ Daemon breathing on his neck, and he could _feel_ the hands digging into his scrotum.

"_Da…__**Daemon**__, I've got work—__**unnh**__."_

"_Beg for it. Beg me to fuck you." _

"_**Fucking**__—Daemon, I need to—__**oh**__…" _

"_**Beg**_**." **

"_I…__**ohh, yes—fuck me. **__Please, please, __**fuck me—**__"_

Giotto turned the radio on. Politics immediately boomed through the stereo surround sound, and he turned it up so loud the windows began vibrating from the pressure. Anything. _Anything_ to forget what had happened, the way that…Daemon got to him, and the way he'd foolishly put his emotions on a platter to be devoured.

Stress. Stress was getting to him, and… "I need a break. Y-Yeah. Just…gotta get off work, go see Cozart...make fun of G a little—shit."

And he dropped his pencil. Dropping pencils was normal, but so…so stupid. But, Giotto lamented as he dropped to his knees to search for the stupid mechanical thing, he'd done stupider things. He let one of his first clients in as more than just a business partner, and it ended in…crap.

"You're Giotto Vongola," mumbled the blond to himself. "You…can't afford to make mist—"

Fingers. He could feel the fingers digging into his rectum, and the heavy moans that followed in sex-filled nights. **His** moans. Giotto froze, hands digging into carpet—digging into soft creamy flesh, creating little welts; little crescents into his…his lover as sweet Daemon pushed his lube-lathered finger into his _anus_, poking and prodding into flesh before adding another, and then another when Giotto was on his hands and knees, cock untouched.

"_Oh…__**God**__, yes. __**Yes, yes, yes—**__"_

Daemon wasn't there. Giotto whirled around, body aching in alarm, but no matter how much a creep his once lover was, he hadn't shown up since they departed. No. Giotto looked around, knuckles pasty white, but Daemon wasn't there. They hadn't seen each other in two months, and…Daemon wasn't always Daemon.

Sometimes Daemon was Alexander, or…or Damon Sparks, and…was Daemon even who he really was? Or was it just another guise; another way to get close to Giotto and tickle his every trait?

"_You know what the best part of all of this is?"_Daemon's laugh; his stupid, _sickening_ laugh_. "I don't have to care anymore."_

He was above this. Daemon…Alexander—Damon. They weren't part of his life anymore, they weren't—

A breathy moan filled his ears, followed by a misty hand that consumed his cock. Something thrust into him; a cock so deep and enticing that it fit him almost _perfectly_, and—who was it? Who was there? No one; that was who.

"I'm fine," Giotto grumbled. He shook his head, rationality fleeting by the second as he repeated to himself: "_I'm fine._"

Daemon didn't really love him. Daemon wasn't…he knew everything Giotto loved, and never had they ever gotten into an argument. They shared the same favorite things—_loved_ the same foods, clothes, and helped each other in business. But…Daemon loved theatre—he loved the arts. And if 'Daemon' didn't, he was just…good at it. And their verbal agreement—their fucking _business deal—_

A moan filled his ears; scandalous and lustful. _"__**I love you. **__Oh, G-God—Daemon, __**I love you, I love you, I love you—ah**__—"_

"**I don't have to care anymore." **

He wasn't fine.

OoOoO

How many days had it been?

Twenty-three-year-old Dino looked to his side at the other occupant in his bed, who remained curled into a ball, shallow breaths escaping his lips as he attempted to sleep. Dino coaxed his little brother, running his hand through tangled, normally _gaudy_ hair, and joked a little to himself. He hadn't played with Giotto's wispy hairs since they were little kids. He hadn't held his brother tightly, or hugged him in years, and certainly in the years that passed, Giotto hadn't crawled into his bed, mumbling for Dino to, 'Shut up and hold [him].'

The color was slowly returning to his little brother's face, unlike three days ago where the younger blond couldn't comprehend a word. After hearing how his little brother was acting, he'd taken the first flight he could, disbelieving at first to G's word, but there it was—Ieyatsu Giotto Vongola lost and hating the world.

Well, Dino thought with a humble smile. Giotto held a lot of hate in his teenage years when their father ran off with the nanny and gave birth to cute little Tsunayoshi. Only in recent years had the little guy channel most of his emotions into business, which…seemed to make him happier.

A vehement sigh escaped Giotto's lips, and Dino took it as his cue to leave the room. Thoughts fluttered through his mind, and he quickly dialed G's number, smile spread across his lips.

"You're still here."

Oh. "Monsieur Alaude; I thought you wouldn't be back from your patrol until—oooh, _that's_ what time it is." Dino looked down, eyes taking in the broad sight of snowy white hair and the icy blue eyes that leered at him. "Hehe. You know, you and I should catch up."

Deary, that look was chilling. Alaude raised his head, eyes vehemently narrowing to the blond standing parallel of him in the small apartment shared by Giotto and he, and stared at Dino, gaze unwavering. "We met once when you visited the boss, and now he and I share an apartment together. Now we're caught up. Move out of my way, insect."

"Aw, you're too serious." Dino smiled pityingly and pressed a hand to the other man's shoulder, but quickly Alaude pulled it away. "How about you and I go get some coffee?"

"Think of your brother first."

"Oh, always." He perched himself onto the kitchen counter, eyes widening at the ridiculous notion that he thought otherwise. "But he _does_ like bagels. And I know you're a sucker for thin mints…so…coffee."

Which was where he was rewarded with a punch in the gut.

"Oof!"

"Hardly. Take care of your brother—and if he's dead when I get back, I _will_ kill you." Reaching over the gargantuan blond, Alaude pulled out what appeared to be a pair of handcuffs. In the blink of an eye, Dino flinched, and he was pinned against the wall, gun to his throat and eyes widening. "And if you so much _break anything_, I'll cut you until you're dead."

"Ooh. Duly noted." Dino smiled nervously—_how was a man three inches shorter than him able to lift him off the ground?_ "Um, so why do you call my brother 'Boss'?"

Amused, Alaude arched an eyebrow. "How do you know I like thin mints?"

Hm? "Because…uh." Brown eyes looked to the ceiling fan located above the living room before moving into slightly bemused, partially irritated blue eyes. "They just…scream you? When you eat something coated in chocolate, you don't know what's on the inside, and…minty. Every time I see you, you're just…refreshing, compared to what I'm used to. You're kinda minty."

Silence. The expression across his brother's roommate's face was unreadable, and slowly did he release the older adult to the ground. "I like Caramel Macchiato."

Uh… "Bwuh?"

"My shift ends at eleven. Make sure it's still warm by then, understood?"

Huh? Oh. _Oh._ "Okay," Dino smiled, chest tingling at the way Monsieur Alaude looked at him. Pink dusted across the Frenchman's pale ears, and it simply made the blond' smile widen. "I'll be waiting."

The door shut with a slam, followed by abrupt footsteps down the hall. Dino waited, lightheaded and a little giddy before climbing the counter and grabbing cereal. Giotto liked Captain Crunch. He poured it slowly into a bowl, humming to the song, 'My Girl' before pushing the door open to his brother's room.

Giotto was wide awake. Blinds were open, the TV was on, drowned out by the radio, and even the bathroom door had a crack for access. However, the blond sitting on the bed, hands on his knees, saw none of it. 'My Girl' was quickly postponed, and Dino watched silently at the door.

His color looked better. Giotto was eating, thanks to Cozart and G, who wholeheartedly tried to keep their best friend's emotions in check. Even Alaude, who Dino learned often secluded himself to his own room, was on search for Daemon. Giotto had a lot of good friends looking after him.

"Hey." Snapping out of his thoughts, fiery orbs raised until they met with bright brown. Passion was misplaced, filled by the smolder and lackluster Dino had only seen once before: when Iemitsu walked out on them.

"Hey," he softly whispered. The fateful meeting with Alaude was long forgotten, and he crawled onto the opposite side of bed, cereal in hand and delicate smile tugging at his lips. "Sleep well?"

"Hardly." Giotto's demeanor shifted stiffly, and he scooted closer to the head board, eyes fluttering closed.

"Any reason why it's so noisy in here?" Dino reached to lower the volume on the radio, only for a hand to stop him. The blond watched as it trembled, shaking under the notion of skin touching skin, and quickly did his little brother recoil.

"Just," Giotto breathed, "had to."

Nothing else was said. Dino crawled into bed, making sure there was at least two feet of distance between the two Vongola brothers before setting the cereal on the night stand. It was something Dino adapted to quickly; anything to make his brother feel comfortable. What he was seeing, after all, was the aftermath of Giotto's little tirades.

"_I found him under his desk,"_ he remembered G saying in a hushed tone, before reassuring, _"He wasn't crying. Giotto never cries. But…he's…he's broken, Dino." _

Not a soul could touch Giotto without the blond tensing. Cozart could barely massage the young adult's temples without him going into relapse, and G already had enough on his plate dealing with his own family, Mariana-Emilia, and Cozart. Roberto Shimon was out of the question, Celeste wouldn't think twice to rip away the inheritance of the company from her son if she _knew_, and…Alaude was Alaude. Surprisingly the Frenchman was able to get a word or two in before Giotto kicked him out of the house, but that left Dino at a loss.

"Every time I shut my eyes," muttered Giotto softly, "I feel him. I feel him nibbling on my neck, and I feel his arms around my waist. So I keep my eyes open to remind myself that he isn't there. And then…I hear his laugh. I keep hearing the way he'd talk to me in bed—so I turn the radio on; something. Something that will distract me. But then my eyes wander, and…they go to the door, just waiting for him to show up."

Dino nodded, hand rising to Giotto's knee, but his little brother pushed it away.

"He's not there. I can't…every time I'm alone—I don't even need to be _alone…_I just. He'd embrace me, give me love bites, and make some corny comment he knew would drive me crazy. Then," Giotto whispered, "I can't forget about him. The way he'd drill me into bed—or wherever we are, just having sex—_making love._ And I remember he wasn't always him."

"Giotto—"

"I used to compare him to Cozart because that was the only other person I could say I _made love_ with." Giotto's tone turned wry. He shifted a little, and Dino realized his little brother was leaning _closer_ to him. "He wasn't gentle, like Cozart. He always had a comeback, but it was snarky and…and _hot._ I wasn't used to being treated the way Daemon treated me, and…we were just beginning college, Cozart was pursuing Alaude, G was getting married…_Mom_ practically handed me Vongola Inc., thanks to you. I thought I could handle it.

"We made a deal, so that if it ever went sour, then we would never see each other again. Dino, why does my chest hurt? I pushed him to the farthest part of my mind for _months_, and knew the risks in this relationship. Dino," his voice cracked slightly and he buried his hands in his hair. "Why can't I…breathe? Why does my head hurt so much, and I want to hate him—_and I do_—but there's still that little inklet that still trusts him?"

"…that," Dino whispered softly, and he ruffled through blond tangles. Once again his little brother scooted to the side, this time away. "That's what you call a broken heart, little brother."

"I hate it."

"'Could be worse," the blond said lightly. He was treading on sensitive territory now. "You could be locked in your room eating out of a tub of ice cream and hording down chocolate. Heaven knows you hate gaining unnecessary weight."

Ooh, a twitch of the lips. He was getting a twitch of a smile. "Do you…you think Mom was heartbroken when Dad left her?"

His heart dropped. Dino released a breath he wasn't holding, eyes scanning his cute little brother from head-to-toe. So many years had passed since the divorce, and he knew Giotto took it with a heavy heart. For some time, so did Dino himself, but…with that cute little baby—how old was Tsunayoshi now? Eleven? Eleven years of a cute little brother under Iemitsu and Nana's care, and Celeste was okay with all of it. She didn't hold a grudge. "I think…going into marriage, Mom and Dad had the same mindset you did: it was a business deal. And it was easier for them to walk away."

"But—"

"Dad fell in love with Nana." Dino shrugged. "I dunno. And Mom never remarried after us—I get the feeling she felt accomplished, little brother: two sons and a successful company; one of the richest in the world. And after you and I reached eighteen, she stopped pestering us about marriage. We're not Mom. We can't walk away as easily as she can, and—and that's good. Really good."

He waited, letting Giotto stare at him long and hard, but it was the solid truth. Dino had seen the way, eleven years ago, Iemitsu held Tsunayoshi tight to his chest, smile gracing his lips. Celeste, too, was happy for her ex-husband, and…love was there. He'd never seen the same look cross his father's face whenever staring at their mother, and—although a bit ruffled—it was okay. Finally, the younger blond's eyes closed, and he leaned close, until his forehead was buried at Dino's shoulder.

"You are such a hopeless romantic. Bet you got it from Dad."

"Well, you're neurotic." Dino flashed a grin and nudged his brother lightly. "You get that from Mom."

"Mm. We get our blond hair from Dad. You got his spirit."

"You got Mom's ambition."

"I also got her coordination." Giotto twitched, soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Mom's perfect."

"No." Their mother was able to walk away from Iemitsu and come back, friendly as ever even if Vongola Incorporated could rip him to shreds. There was no hate; no betrayal in the fiery eyes Celeste raised her head with. Just friendship. Giotto had always been closer to his mother; observing her every move, but…he was human. To experience heartbreak, love, denial, _betrayal—_"You're perfect, little brother."

"Whatever." The younger brother climbed over his eldest, hands at arm's length as a small, disheveled smile spread across his lips. "Is that Captain Crunch?"

"Yup. Eat your heart out."

"Gladly."

Giotto would be fine.

**Present Day**

"You drank more—why do _you_ get to drive?"

"I may be more drunk, but I can hold my liquor better—and have _way better_ hand-eye coordination."

"But you drive po—" There was a halt in his older brother's tone, and Giotto turned, face flushed and eyebrow arched to Dino, who swayed back and forth with a goofy grin on his face.

"I drive how, big brother? Hm?"

Something else escaped his brother's lips, this time fearful and inaudible. A soft laugh escaped the mouths of both blonds as they climbed out the elevator and pushed into the Vongola penthouse, singing whatever song came to mind in a horrid octave.

"That sounds," Dino gasped as he pat his little brother on the shoulder, _"awful._ Weren't you part of the glee club back at your school?"

"Mom made _you_ take vocal lessons," Giotto reminded, voice diminishing. His laugh dissipated, and they fell onto the loveseat next to one another, simply giggling until the joy died out, replaced with the buzz of wine and the emptiness at the pit of his stomach.

"You gonna be okay?" Dino asked softly. He dropped his head onto the younger blond's shoulder.

"Yeah," Giotto mumbled quietly. He jerked his shoulder gently, smile working its way across his lips before he pulled both of them to their feet with a kiss on his brother's forehead. "Good night, big brother. Tonight was…was good. It was good."

"Was it as good for you as it was for me?" Dino grinned like a silly leprechaun. They definitely had way too much to drink.

"I do believe I was faking it." The younger blond pulled away from the elder, feet padding up the stairs before halting midway on the banister. "The guest room is down the hall, first door on the right."

"Gotcha. Love you, little brother."

"Love you too." Once the lights turned off, replaced by mellow lamps in the hallway, Giotto found himself already stripping before he made it to his room. Grabbing the first pair of pajama pants that came to view, he jumped into bed, the stench of alcohol still fresh. He stunk, was hungry, and knew a hangover awaited him early in the morning.

Giotto's fingers trailed to his nightstand, and slowly he picked out the phone, dialing a number he knew by heart without even opening his eyes. Four rings later, he waited patiently, and his heart clenched tightly.

"_Hello?" _

"Hey."

"_Hey."_ G's tone was soft and mumbled; probably in bed and in the middle of sleeping too. _"Everything alright?" _

"When this custody trial is over…when Enma gets his voice back…" Giotto buried his face close to his pillow, tenor dropping. "Let's go visit Cozart. Enma, you, me, and Tsuna."

No answer.

"G?"

"_Yeah."_ He could hear the redhead smiling from miles away. _"I'd like that."_

"We can discuss the details later."

"_Right."_

Before drifting off into slumber, he heard the door squeak close, followed by footsteps. _Probably Dino taking a showe_—

"Oof!"

"You smell like beer."

"You found your drugs." Giotto warily looked up, noting that a small body now straddled his hips, and a pair of hands now worked their way on his stomach. He jerked, and cursed himself for being ticklish. "Tsuna—"

"Yup." Cute little Tsuna didn't act this forward. When he first slid into bed with his older brother back at the hotel…it was odd. But in doing so, Tsuna simply tried playing protector. Back at home, in bed with Giotto himself…at this late hour. When Tsuna did it once before, he was too timid to state his motives.

Giotto smiled jokingly. "Bad dream?"

"Sure." Sliding off his big brother's torso, Giotto felt the bed shift, and immediately, Tsuna took the empty spot on the blond's king-sized bed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Couldn't you ask me in the morning?"

"No."

"Alright." Well, this was new.

"Guys. When it comes to sex," the brunet's voice hadn't softened or gotten louder. It was low, brushing against octaves Tsuna rarely touched unless he was medicated—and Lord knew now Giotto couldn't handle his little brother when he was high on even something as simple as Tylenol. "How do you figure out who is…what's the word?"

"Who tops and who bottoms?" There was a nod on his shoulder. Giotto doubted, if sober, he would be able to keep calm around his brother. He laughed softly and buried his chin into soft, chocolate brown hair. "Depends. Sometimes it depends on who's taller or bigger…sometimes it's personality. One personality could be more dominant, and another could be more submissive. Sometimes they switch."

" What does that make you?"

"What does that make me?" Giotto repeated. He felt a flare of red complimenting his alcoholic blush, along with the heat burning where Tsuna pressed his head. "I…depends on the person. With Cozart, I…was more dominant, more eager. Considering how drunk I was, I still can't tell if G topped or I did and—Alaude doesn't like to admit it, but he likes being a bottom."

"And Daemon?"

There was a ringing in Giotto's ears. He couldn't place it. Shutting his eyes, a shiver passed through the blond's blood, and somehow he wished quiet, shy Tsuna would appear for just a moment and take back the question. "Bottomed. Sometimes you naturally just fill out the role. Other times, you fight for it."

"What'd you think I'd be?"

Well. That wasn't much of a thought—wait, what? Sobering just slightly, he felt his brain go numb in confusion, and propped himself onto an elbow, where Tsuna's eyes were tightly shut and his breathing was steady. "What are you doing in my room?"

Tsuna fell silent. Barely was his breathing audible, and slowly he opened caramel chocolate eyes that glowed under delicate moonlight. "I just…wanted you to hold me."

Oh. "Alright."

"Giotto?"

"Mm?"

"Love you."

"Love you too, little brother."

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

I really wanted to get the beginning and end of Giotto's relationship with Daemon out in the open in two chapters. Granted, it's not as in depth as it could have been, but hey. It works. To describe how G feels about Cozart _currently_…listen to the song, _Come On Get Higher _by Matt Nathanson. C: There's a skip, obviously, when it temporarily switches to Dino's POV, on how he ends up in France taking care of his brother, but that excerpt was covered in Chapter 21, so there was no reason to restate it. And now…comments.

_**Giotto is a horndog! **_

There is a point to that, actually. xD You know about ten chapters ago, when Daemon was first mentioned, Giotto's personality took a flip. Basically in the past, before Tsuna became a problem for him, this was how he acted: sly, mischievous, and at the top of his gang. So 23 covers what Giotto was like, which is how most people see him, I suppose, then at the very beginning of the story, where Giotto was pompous, condescending, and pretty hateful toward Tsuna, yet friendly to everyone else—aka, how he ended up after the whole Daemon ordeal.

_**Daemon is sexy! **_

I was surprised with this one. xD Honestly, I thought I'd get more reviews going, "Poor Giotto! D:" rather than remarking how people see how Giotto fell for Daemon. And I tried to make it as creepy and foreboding, but at the same time, I like how you guys interpreted it: "So this is why Giotto fell in love with Daemon. It's understandable." So uh. Thanks?

_**How do you get your ideas for the smut of this? Reading? Experience? **_

Well. First off, I'm a girl, so, no. Not my own personal experience, and yeah. A lot of reading involved (yaoi smut, slash, etc etc), and just…writing? I think smut is good practice, because at times, the more graphic you are, the more compelling the audience receives it. C:

And, as you may have noticed, I downed the rating back to T. xD; I think a lot of people were having trouble finding the story; so what's going to happen is: I'm going to finish the story, and _then_ raise the rating back to M. Anyone who doesn't back down after the little Alaude and Giotto love-love scene at the beginning…didn't take that as a warning. C': Reviews would be nice!


	25. school and work

**Lireach **This chapter, actually. xD Too much time at home, and I wanna cover 'two weeks till court date' in two more chapters before covering that then…well, the next kiss. **Kanberry **Haha, not really? Read chapter 325 today, and I find him pretty…interesting. And I do love me some drugged Tsuna. :) Scary; so does everyone else that it kinda worries me. **XxMiss427ShootingStarxX **Unfortunately, yes. We have just gotten over the Cozart and Daemon and whatever arc, and then we have little mini-arcs until the wedding. And I'm glad I inspire you; I'll get around to reading your works when I have time between updates. **Iloveme264 **Hmm, I think I overdid it quite a bit, honestly. **Stormypeach1396 **Haha; I try to get an update in at least once a week. Though since I have two other projects I'm working on now + some comics that are in grave need of updating, we'll see where that takes me. **Mel-Chama **The odd thing is, I have so much free time to write outside of school, but on school days I just can't bring myself to write. Just don't wanna bother with it, until you know, _bed time_ where I apparently get in the mood to write. That being the case, I pull an all-nighter most of the times on Friday nights to finish the chapter, then spend about two in the morning to reply to reviews. **Dremagon **So far, I do love it. Once Enma comes around, Giotto will be on his knees begging the poor kid to tell him why Tsuna is as reserved as he is. **Narutopokefan **That's good. Enjoy the next chapter! **Nekoboy44** I think I had another song for you to listen to, actually. I'd love to see your drawings, and uh, do you have an MSN account? I'll PM you my email if you wanna talk and I can give you some advice. **FaerieDemon **Oh, just wait for it. AlaudeD18 love triangle that makes a cameo in the next chapter. I think different types of medicine drives Tsuna over the edge. He's just forward and blunt when it comes to his flu prescription, yet incredibly rude and can't stand on his own two feet when it comes to DW pills. The Tylenol/Advil makes him very, "_Don't y'all get up all in mah grill_," too. He's just…very lacking in the tolerance, haha. **Fionaroxz **Haha, thank you very much. **Totalamuto **Well, at least he's fine by the end of the chapter. Though we won't know what Dino and Giotto actually talked about for another couple chapters. **Ezcap1st **So far one's a little drunk and the other's…well, kinda crazy. **Lenah Kaus B.A.M **Oh dear. Tsuna on top? That cracked me up quite a bit. **ZirciX **That's very sweet, but no, haha. I'm a junior in high school and the youngest in my class. And I think it's fun to reply to reviewers; especially in this format. Cracks me up how large or small the wall gets. **Mina Hikari **Depends. Do DW Pills count as _illegal_ drugs? Aha. **xxxKimi-chan **There are a couple things involving Cozart that have come to my mind, honestly. After the grave, not quite sure how often he's gonna be dished out, it's kind of…ufuu-y. **KChoco **Haha, that's good? In the middle of chapter 325 of the manga, I squealed and freaked out aloud. That like…never happens. **Anello di Tempesta **Just little itty bitty details. When writing that chapter and the one before it, I wanted to convey it not like a flashback, but as if there was a different story being told. C: **Breathless02 **Well. There's a lot of Tsuna in this chapter, and yeah. He was on his medication; I don't think a sober Tsuna would eagerly saddle in Giotto's lap. **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **Giotto's hate is a recurring theme in the story. …I can't wait until he meets Lambo. **pHIL **Thank you. :) **fan girl 666 **Thanks! **Red-gold-pink-yellow **If you think about it, literally half the couples in this story are completely crack and made up due to me screwing them up. xD **PurpleBlue23 **You wanna know something funny? I laughed that you reviewed after Red-gold-pink-yellow, because you two have color-themed names. It was cute. Giotto has a lot of skeletons in his closet, ehe. **Lonelyxdream **Their love is fun to write. Just gotta wrap my mind around the fact that I'm actually writing incest, and then we'll all be good. xD;; **Hanori Shiki **I'm short and adorable and tiny, if that counts for anything. G is just a softie; I really just wanna marry him. Is it strange that I find him hot and adorable, but…I'm just kinda "meh" when it comes to Gokudera? xD **Soulfightersu **It's very sweet; I do love how Tsuna kinda just invites himself into Giotto's bed, but in a tender way, not a horny 'MUST HAVE YOU NAO' kinda way. xD **Fire Princess21 **I doubt you'll get found out, haha. **Rachel-chanx3 **It was really sweet and cute. xD I kinda wanted to complete the "rainbow" and make all of them different ethnicities. So, G and Giotto are Italian, Alaude's French, Knuckle is Spanish, and that makes Daemon British. Couldn't think of anything else that fit him—maybe French, in tribute to Napoleon? **Eyes17k **I know; that's the fun part in writing this story. C': **copycat-capcyot **Quite honestly the way Daemon dumped Giotto didn't do it well enough for me. Wasn't written in the way that I wanted, so it's kinda 'meh.' G's just kinda silly; I love writing him sort of idiotically before you see him being…_motherly _to Tsuna. **Sonicfreak68 **Don't look it up. Let's just say it's the inside of the anus, and that should keep you from scarring yourself for life. Band class? Whatcha play? I'm a flutie. :) **miriohao **Really now? I've been worried that I made his character a bit too vulnerable, haha. **Anonymouslyawesome **Haha. You tell me: do you think Tsuna would _honestly_ tackle Giotto like that while he wasn't medicated? **Suzuru Seiyo **A godfather is basically someone who baptizes the child; but in the sense I'm using it, Daemon is basically _like_ a father or _like_ an uncle to Mukuro, but they're not related, yet have the title.

**chapter twenty-five has **school and work.

Back on his feet, Tsuna had made a full recovery after one torturous weekend dealing with his…_affectionate_ brothers ("DINO! WHY IS MY BATHROOM FAUCET BENT IN THE SHAPE OF A HEART?" _"_Er, I'm talented at being uncoordinated?"), and found himself playing peacemaker between the pair while his eldest hopped around the house in good nature and a cheerful smile until the middle would come home and have another conniption ("I didn't do it this time, I swear!" "Do you really think _Tsuna_ is capable of dropping a grilled cheese sandwich, _then_ tripping over it, _then_ skidding across the living room, _then_ sliding over the stairs and getting _the cat's head stuck in the banister?_"), and he would try not to break into a smile.

Every time Dino poked Giotto's boundaries, Giotto simply shed another bit of sanity in favor of the elder brother—something that made him seem…so _very, very_ human.

Giotto had to go to work and with G in Shimon, Dino became Tsuna's temporary babysitter. According to Giotto, the elder blond was not allowed to leave the house (technically, step into the elevator), which meant that their nice new apartment was constantly under attack by a klutzy, bubbly billionaire with no sense of direction. When Kyoko-chan visited, Tsuna was luckily in the shower or asleep at the time.

Finally, it led to Monday morning, where Tsuna could finally go to school and face the wrath of his sadistic math teacher. Trudging down the stairs in a school uniform Tsuna felt he hadn't worn in ages, he was met with the sight of Dino-san in the kitchen, humming a rendition of '_My Girl.' _

"Are you…" Tsuna suddenly panicked, instinctively reaching for the half-empty fire extinguisher when he realized what his older brother was doing. "Are you making pancakes?"

"Tsuna!" The blond whirled around, wearing a ridiculous apron that read, '_This Apron Belongs on Your Floor,' _and cheerfully grinned before sliding a third, unbelievably _small_ pancake onto a plate and putting the pan in the sink. "It's Monday, and I thought I would see you off to school. Is that alright?"

"Er, y-yeah." The brunet nodded uncertainly, gaze flowing to the various different egg cartons and flour that littered the kitchen counter. Giotto's stress levels being more pressed than Gokudera and his non-existent relationship with Yamamoto, Tsuna had a feeling that their temporary rapture wouldn't last long.

Which proved itself when the last door squeaked open, and a flurry of footsteps barricaded the door like an entire army. Tsuna whirled around, pancakes forgotten as a blur of sunny blond hair caught his sight. Giotto hopped the last two or three steps, and he darted to the pair, obvious worry crossing his face.

"Tsuna," breathed the younger adult. Dashing orbs relit with a fire Tsuna hadn't seen in almost three weeks, and he felt the red raise to his face. Giotto managed to pull off blue, silk pajamas without it looking outrageously tacky. Dino, on the other hand, was questionable after the apron. "I caught you before school. Good."

"Do you need something?" Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed with much concern, blush forgotten as he pressed a hand to Giotto's forehead. Giotto…hadn't caught his flu, had he? "Are you feeling alright?"

Dino let out a low whistle. "He isn't exactly known as a morning person, little brother. I think you're the best thing to come into his life since…well, anything, I suppose."

"Shut up," Giotto half-grumbled, half-moaned. He flashed a small smile, before arching an eyebrow. "Looks like you're growing again."

"I…I am?" Tsuna looked up to his brother in surprise before realizing that yes, he didn't have to look him in the eye with a stiff neck. Realizing he had a hand to the other's face, he recoiled, eyes darting to the ground as his cheeks swelled red again.

"Yeah…Damn."

"You're swaying." Giotto really wasn't a morning person. Following their time together, it would be the first day Tsuna had to walk to school from their new apartment, and Giotto looked less capable of feeding their cat, let alone wake up at seven in the morning. Tsuna pushed hair out of his brother's face, from contorting his lips before he humbly smiled. "Just…go back to sleep."

"Someone's…gotta drive you to sc—"

"I'll walk." Eep. Tsuna clasped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening a bit in his own surprise, and backed away before hesitantly unveiling his own lips. "Er…I-I mean…"

"Tsuna…" Giotto's eyebrows furrowed with concern. Funny. Even before the Enma incident, Giotto had been more casual in their conversations; light, flirty, and very forward with his advances. His brother _now_ was being tender and had doted on him since the taxi drive to their new apartment. Suddenly the blond's tone took a different approach, backtracking Tsuna's analysis. "Do you have a problem with my driving?"

"O-Of course not! I just…eek." Tsuna shuffled between his feet. "I just…I like walking. That's why I woke up earlier than usual—I-I'll be fine. I promise."

Immediately the look disappeared from Giotto's face, replaced with an emotion he couldn't quite place. "The last time I left you alone," the blond muttered, "you ran away."

Right. Guilt flooded the teenager's mind, heart tightening in his lungs as the reminder of their excursion returned. The past weekend, Giotto had been nothing but livid, sly, and _childish_ when it came to their big brother, but that all in its own was a complete change. Seeing Giotto in Shimon—broken, stressed, and at a loss to spoken words—then exacerbating the situation for his older brother by ignoring phone calls and deliberately not telling him where he was going.

_I can't trust you._

Giotto had all reason not to trust him. But…but…

"I could drive him—"

"No." Tsuna and Giotto answered in unison, albeit the brunet's a little less assertive. He learned in more than one ways what the definition of 'homewrecker' was during the weekend and the odds that the entire building hadn't collapsed due to some freak accident yet was a miracle.

Still, with a pouting brother like Dino, at least the mood lightened just a little. Giotto's hand landed on Tsuna's shoulder, almost what the brunet dubbed as instinctive protection, just as the doorbell rang.

"That must be that Kyoko girl and her brother." Dino leaned over the counter and smiled sweetly. "Does that work out for you, little brother? The little guy can walk to school with the Sasagawas, and you won't have to worry about him."

"I don't like the idea of our little brother stringing along a poor, innocent girl."

"Well—he can't just _ignore_ her, right?"

Tsuna paled. No, absolutely not. That was _not_ a good idea. Disregarding his woe, the teenager decided better not to put himself in the middle of another of Dino and Giotto's quarrels and answered the doorbell. Yamamoto. Eyes widening in disbelief, he craned his neck to the much taller teen and dropped his hand to his side. "H…Hey."

"Haha. Hey, Tsuna. Wow, this is your new apartment? It's really, really, big!" Before he knew it, Yamamoto was hovering over his shoulder and looking inside. "And it's by elevator. Wow, that's a lot safer than nitty-gritty stairs, isn't it?"

"What are you doing here?" A sigh of relief escaped the shorter teenager's mouth, and he opened the door wider for both Dino and Giotto to see. They stopped their argument immediately in favor of the giant, sharing looks of surprise. Considering all of the possibilities, Tsuna paled, eyebrows furrowed. "You…didn't walk all the way over here from Yamamoto Sushi, did you?"

"What walk?" Yamamoto tilted his head curiously and gestured out the window. "We live right across the street, Tsuna. And then Master Asari Ugetsu said that you were moving into the penthouse up here. Giotto-san ordered sushi yesterday; didn't you notice?"

At the mention of the middle brother, Tsuna turned his head, small frown working on his face while Giotto shrugged with quaint amusement. He turned back, struggling for a smile, and clung to his backpack tightly. "Do you…want to walk to school together?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way—" _Whack! _"—Ow!"

"Eek." Tsuna took a step back, genuinely surprised at the flash of silvery-white hair and the hard slap that was so powerful it took down his _tallest friend_ before realizing what was going on. He looked up, eyes doubling twice their size before looking to—"G-Gokudera-kun?"

"_Gokudera_, that hurt." Yamamoto pouted, taking hold of his face with just a bit of mirth visible as Gokudera-kun scowled. "What are you doing here? You live on the other side of town!"

"Which," seethed the hothead, "would be why I fucking woke up _this early_ in the morning to pick up Giotto-san's little brother! The Tenth!"

"You're on speaking terms with Tsuna now?"

"What the fuck do you mean, '_speaking terms'_? While you were out with your fucking boyfriend, _I was helping this kid with his math homework!_ Do you know how completely _incompetent _he is? He didn't know that the fucking square root of eleven-million, one hundred-eight thousand, eight hundred-and-eighty-eight was three-thousand, three-hundred thirty-three!"

Who knew _that_? Tsuna opened his mouth to speak, but—

"What? But the square of three-thousand, three-hundred thirty-three is eleven-million, one-hundred eight-thousand, eight-hundred-and-eighty-nine, Gokudera."

"That—I—" Was he seriously pulling out a calculator for this?

Tsuna turned around, eyes having doubled in horror to Giotto and Dino, who both held the same looks of amusement. Dino had taken pity on his first youngest, and dragged the wobbly blond toward the loveseat to lie down. Not that they were settled, all eyes were on them. Pushing past the poor brunet, Gokudera hovered _excruciatingly_ close to the poor boy with a large smile on his face.

"G-Giotto-san! Dino-san! Good morning! We're taking Sawada to school today; is that okay?"

"We're all going to walk together to school? Haha. I missed that." Yamamoto smiled in his usual way, and Tsuna didn't miss the way Gokudera tried to ignore his blush. Oblivious, the baseball player leaned closer to the shorter teenager, smile widening just a bit. "Missed hanging around you."

Er. "Missed you too." Tsuna smiled faintly, pink singing his cheeks as the taller patted him affectionately on the head. He forgot—hanging around Gokudera made him cautious more than usual, but Yamamoto treated him like a gentleman to his girlfriend.

"Go ahead and take him to school," chirped Dino. One glance at the pair and the brunet found his eldest brother giving his older brother a back massage. "This one's gotta be coaxed back to sleep. As you can see, he isn't the chippest person in the morning."

Nuts must have agreed, immediately clawing at the couch before Giotto took pity on the poor creature and set him on his back. He looked straight to Tsuna, expression tired and stern all the same. "You've also got work to come to afterward, little brother. Do you need me to pick you up?"

Uh. Tsuna held back a look of hesitation, torn between two options. Originally he'd gotten the job to give the money to Enma, but now with the possibility of his best friend coming to live with them…and the fear that a cranky Giotto would be driving him places, it wasn't a good idea. His only alternative, after all, was the other big brother.

"You mean the big building around the corner?" Yamamoto and he were now much closer than before, something he hadn't noticed. He forgot how secure the athlete had pushed their relationship, and how much it'd come to his liking. "I could walk him if you want, Giotto-niisan. Ever since the bullying incident—"

"We should get going now." With all the strength he could conjure, Tsuna pushed his friends out the door, sparing Giotto one glance as the blond looked up, a _knowing_ look spread across his complexion while Dino took confusion. He looked neither one in the eye, instead slamming the door shut and in effort, locked it with his new house key. A sigh of relief escaped his lips once confirming neither brother would go after them, and guided them toward the elevator with a shy smile. "Hi."

"Hi back." Yamamoto chuckled while Gokudera begrudgingly grunted, which was how the brunet found himself stuck in the middle of both teenagers. "I'm surprised. Didn't your brother ever wonder how you sprained your ankle?"

"His…_boyfriend_ showed a bit more concern." Suddenly feeling hoarse, Tsuna lowered his head until his chin met his chest, and shrugged. It had happened over a month ago—when Giotto and he didn't even see eye-to-eye. Readjusting to his schedule had proven slightly difficult, but the key rules were set: his curfew was at six, and, uh, Giotto's love—_sex_—life wasn't an open topic. The rules had been made so long ago, however, that he was beginning to wonder if they still applied.

Certainly working as Giotto's little assistant for a while cancelled out the first problem. Finally, the last of his brothers for the day (a relief for his own sanity) was left in one conversation—

"I can't remember—did you _always_ have a habit of falling over things?" Giotto.

"Er—normally someone's there to catch me. Hehe." Dino.

Getting into the elevator, Tsuna couldn't help the little giggle or two that escaped his lips. He placed a hand over his mouth, obviously amused, but out of range from his two brothers, it was almost a…saddening silence. When it came to Dino, Tsuna finally understood that no, he was _not_ the most uncoordinated punk on that side of the planet, but he sure shared the same prone-to-accidents lack of balance (thankfully to a lesser degree), and that the Vongola brothers were _incredibly close._

Somehow he found it hard to believe Giotto could ever have G's serene demeanor or the smile-crinkles around his eyes despite a daring frown. Then, the origin of 'little brother' was finally shed under light, which was a little confusing when Dino used it. Somehow between each bruise and bump, he'd become the 'little guy,' and watching Giotto be downsized by his brother was…cute. Very cute.

"So," Yamamoto started, interrupting the shorter teenager's thoughts. "What's going down with Kozato? Is he going to be alright?"

Tsuna cocked his head, amusement wrinkling into trouble as his hands tightened over the straps of his backpack. In the corner of his eye, he saw Gokudera's attention elsewhere, but tight lips showed even the hothead was interested.

"I…" his eyebrows furrowed, cheeks heating. "Enma's going through a rough patch with his family, and G-san's trying to make sure he gets through it. If all goes well, then…" He couldn't resist the smile that beamed across his face. "Then he'll be coming here. To Namimori."

Nether boy spoke.

Tsuna looked up to them, eyes flickering with much worry as each boy looked at him with worry. "Is something wrong?"

It took him by surprise, watching the usual affection Yamamoto held for Gokudera blossom into a different form, much older into adoration. Even Gokudera blushed (though since their meeting this morning, Tsuna had a hard time believing this was the same boy who threatened to castrate him), and he looked away, pride as high as his nose as he pretended again that he wasn't interested.

Maybe kissing math books messed with the brain. And. Er. Maybe mentioning math books around Gokudera would be suicide for a while.

"Just happy for you, haha. You're a lucky to have your best friend follow you wherever." One that didn't pack quite a punch, too. Tsuna shivered while Yamamoto warmly patted him on the shoulder. "You two…are you two sure you're not dating?"

"Just because they're best friends, you fucking baseball idiot," Gokudera whirled around, eyes widening at least three times and fervent pink spreading—_exploding_ across his cheeks, "does _not_ mean that they're dating! This is fucking _real life_ and in fucking _real life_, the guy and the girl-next-door don't always end up together!"

"But…Gokudera, I'm gay. Ooh, since we technically live across the street from each other, that makes us neighbors, Tsun—"

"You don't live next door to each other! And you're not best friends!" Apparently realizing he was overreacting, the silver-haired teenager snapped mid-through his fit before jolting out the elevator and stomping ahead, leaving two confused boys in his quake.

"I'm…," Tsuna stammered, unsure of what to say. In fact, he was _dreading_ the sudden change in Gokudera-kun—more than trembling in the guy's denial rather than acceptance. _Acceptance? _Tsuna was going to _die_ before the next two weeks were up! "I'm so sorry."

And Yamamoto being Yamamoto, only laughed, hands stuffed in his pockets. "For what? It's not your fault. Besides, haha. Don't you find it kind of cute?"

_Cute_? Of course the only person who could handle Hayato, the Ticking Time Bomb was the passive-aggressive baseball player that managed to keep a calm demeanor in the face of danger. Tsuna heaved a sigh, and they followed after Gokudera discussing nothing in particular. "So, uh. I'm sorry that…Gokudera-kun and I intruded on your date. G said that it'd be best to stay out of the house, and—Gokudera-kun is sort of his…right-hand man, I guess?"

"My date," Yamamoto repeated, vapid. As the thought finally crossed his mind, he broke into the biggest smile Tsuna had ever seen. "Oh, with Mochida-senpai! Don't worry, haha. We kinda just went with things after you and Gokudera ran away—"

"Did _not_ run away!" Oh, jeez—and the tornado terror could still hear them. "Don't tell the Tenth shitty lies!"

"How is your relationship with Mochida-senpai going, then?" Tsuna quickly changed the subject, desperately (and fearfully) trying not to roll his eyes as they stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the light to turn green so they could change blocks.

"It's great. I get to see him every single day because of club activities. He even thinks I could try out for the kendo team—why are you giving me that look?" Yamamoto's face furrowed with concern while Tsuna tensed like a deer caught in headlights.

"It's, er, nothing."

"Aw, Tsuna, who do you mistake me for? Gokudera—"

"Is that an implication on my gentlemanly personality?" _What_ gentlemanly personality? Once! Tsuna'd seen Hayato Gokudera act like a gentleman _once_ upon meeting the guy's girlfriend (a juicy piece of gossip going around saying they'd _broken up_, something he shouldn't have really cared for) and—eep. He hated it when Gokudera-kun glared at them like that.

They lucked out when the hothead of their trio got stuck on the other side of the road, and apparently decided to wait patiently for Tsuna and Yamamoto. The brunet took the chance to turn fully to his new neighbor, eyebrows furrowed and guilty of examining the relationship put forth.

"Well?" Yamamoto's query was gentle. Instead of sounding angered, he seemed genuinely curious.

"You don't seem happy." Tsuna's voice was scratchy, bits of monotone stemming at his tongue. He looked to his grimy sneakers and felt ashamed. But he knew he had a point, and for the guy who…who _reached out_ to him and was his first friend at Namimori, Tsuna didn't want to didn't want to see his broken heart.

"But…I am happy, Tsuna."

"But you're not…in love." His cheeks flared with obvious red, hands fiddling with the straps of his backpack. He'd seen it. He'd seen the way Nana would giddily fling herself into the arms of Iemitsu the moment he came into the room, or even the flirty glances shared between Alaude and Giotto when they thought the other wasn't looking. At the first mention of Cozart in five years, G's eyes were far in the distance, cruel and broken despite the fact Tsuna had no idea why. Even at the mention of Bianchi, whose food was apparently a better poison than a fumigation team, G spoke fondly. "You wouldn't want to spend your entire life with someone you're not in love with. Right?"

Yamamoto didn't notice his internal struggle. "Mochida-senpai is high school, Tsuna. Why would I think that far ahead?"

"So you wanna get in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship, rather than going for someone who you'd love to spend the rest of your life with? Like Goku—" He'd said too much. Tsuna's eyes widened in horror—_what was he thinking_? Who was he to patronize a guy he'd only known for two months? No…His eyebrows furrowed, hand slowly sliding away from his lips, and looked up to Yamamoto, frown set. He was giving an opinion to a friend. Even if they didn't know each other long, Yamamoto _had_ been his first friend since Enma, and Enma was always forward with him. Couldn't he do the same? "S-Sorry…I…sorry."

As the signal beamed green, Yamamoto and he crossed toward an impatient Gokudera in silence. Violent green eyes looked between them, apparently off-put, but said nothing and led the way.

Great, just great. Tsuna groaned to himself. Why was he so _stupid_? There was no need to cross the line with Yamamoto, and…ever since _how_ they met, Tsuna should have known that the subject was sensitive. He didn't expect for Yamamoto to quietly jerk him when they met at a corner, waiting patiently for the hedge of silver hair to disappear.

"I…I'm sorry." Maybe it was too soon for him to go to school. His mind was still filled with taking care of Enma and Giotto and—he couldn't handle the stress. At least, not with his education on the line and Yamamoto and Gokudera's not-but-really-is-a-romance.

Yamamoto wasn't mad. "I think it's the first time you and I have ever had a conversation where you barely stuttered, haha."

What? Tsuna looked up, taken aback by the curt grin spread across Yamamoto's face.

"You were really shy whenever you first came—and the times I got to see your brother, you wouldn't look him in the eye. You know you smile a little whenever he looks at you? Haha. You seem so sure of yourself now—oh, maybe not. You don't have to look at me like that, we're friends now. I'm jealous of you, Tsuna. And it's a compliment—please, take my envy."

"Yamamoto—"

"I still love him." The taller teenager's voice dropped to a considerably quiet tone, laugh having disappeared in favor of a tender smile and a small shrug. "But he's my first love. You can't exactly forget that—not in high school."

"What do you plan on doing then?" Tsuna fidgeted nervously and looked down to the ground. "Sorry. Don't mean to pry."

"No, no. It's fine, haha." Yamamoto flashed a grin despite his broken heart and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Mochida-senpai is supposed to be my way of moving on. I can't stand Gokudera feeling paranoid at my…_'creepy crush'_ on him, and I've been trying to move on, so that sense of trust can come back."

There was a much deeper meaning when it came to Yamamoto and Gokudera's relationship. Even now stuck in the middle, Tsuna had no clue what extent their friendship transcended, and Gokudera managed to confuse the heck out of him even when making sense. Everyone else Tsuna knew was already _in_ a relationship, or had come out of one with fond memories. Yamamoto and Gokudera, on the other hand, were struggling with it.

"Do you still…feel…" The brunet's voice never felt so tiny in his throat. "Do you still feel…you know, _that_ way? When we first met, when you were contemplating—"

"Oh, of course not." Just because he smiled didn't mean Yamamoto hadn't cut him off without a good reason. Tsuna watched the taller teenager shift uncomfortably under his gaze, and felt a little out of it himself. Normally others were the one being authoritative, not the other way around. "I haven't thought about…_that_ in ages. Wasn't exactly the best first impression, right? Haha…"

The laughter was drowned out by silence. Tsuna offered a shrug, not knowing what to say. Finally, he gestured to their last turn before they reached the school. "Gokudera-kun might be waiting for us."

Yamamoto only nodded. "I know."

Just as predicted, Gokudera had been waiting against a neatly-trimmed bush, one hand tucked in pants that were against school regulation and cigarette in the other. The expression on his face was unreadable and just like how they'd left the house, Tsuna was squished between both friends like cream in Oreos. Complete and utter silence. No one said a thing as they approached the school, filled with students Tsuna felt like he hadn't seen in ages. He humored himself, reminded of Chrome-san and Fran-san, both who looked like they were in middle school, yet one actually had a medical degree and the other was…well, she was saner compared to most of them.

Like any other day, Yamamoto said his goodbyes (to later meet up with them in the classroom) and joined his fellow jocks, leaving Gokudera and Tsuna by their lonesome.

H-He just didn't expect for Gokudera to be following him like a lost puppy.

For the beginning of the day, going from class-to-class, Tsuna had a tall shadow hovering over him, eyes glaring holes in the poor boy's back as he desperately fought for privacy—_locker room, restroom, __**library**_**—**and it was confirmed. Instead of being the loner the brunet pegged him to be, Gokudera tagged behind him, expression grim and the scent of cigarettes heavy on his person. Tsuna had no clue what to do or say, panicking in every way possible as he realized Gokudera was _staring_ at him.

School was boring. Surprisingly, Gokudera caught him up with all the homework he missed, and it almost seemed…_easier._ Until all of his teachers decided to dish out completely new material, which left the brunet miserable and suffering again.

"D-Do I have something on my face?" Tsuna turned bright pink, then looked at the dish of sushi Yamamoto's father had prepared for him.

Wanton, the other boy's emerald eyes studied him as if he was an alien from another planet. "No. Not at all."

Lunch. There were only three more hours of school after lunch, and with Yamamoto being his escort rather than the little scary one, Tsuna would finally be able to breathe. Gokudera's quiet stares were becoming unnerving, and he was beginning to miss being the third wheel.

"Except—" Crap. "—I heard what you guys were talking about this morning."

Tsuna froze, eyes instinctively leading to the courtyard where Yamamoto was joking around with the Kendo club. For a moment, the tall teenager stopped, realizing he had an admirer, and cheerfully waved. Here he was, stuck in the middle of their…problems again, and a bit scared. Recalling the week of happenings after G's birthday, he remembered Yamamoto how broke the news…and there was a lot of yelling.

That part wasn't a surprise—Gokudera had a good set of lungs. Even occupied with Enma's wellbeing, however, his new friends priorities were too blatant to ignore. Gokudera challenged everything Yamamoto said, even the mild thoughts and comments the taller would make. Gokudera would say something, then Yamamoto would retort, make it sting in the right places, and then neither would speak.

And now, Tsuna realized, it was a habit for Gokudera to look away, forcibly occupying himself with other things despite the decadent blush that boiled in his cheeks. Ugh. It was the miniscule things like this that made him wonder when he traded the life of_ being a victim _in favor of an _overdramatic-slash-exuberant _soap opera.

"I…" He wasn't sure what to say. "I-I don't think I can help you on this one."

"Because you're on _his_ side?" When Gokudera bit, he chewed his prey out. Emerald green eyes blazing, he scowled menacingly at the brunet before deciding to behave himself like an obedient pup. "What do you guys talk about when I'm not around?"

There were very few times Gokudera actually allowed Yamamoto and Tsuna to be without him ever since the bullying incident. Something about drugs, crutches, and h-he apparently had a 'smartassing mouth,' whatever that meant.

Seeing as he wouldn't get his question answered (mostly because Tsuna was freaking out and debating on calling a morgue for his future funeral), Gokudera dropped his vivacious tone, shedding the aggression altogether. In a cautious moment, Tsuna held his sushi tightly and stuffed his mouth in attempt to avoid answering another personal question.

"Obviously that dolt is too gay to function. Doesn't know how to do a damn thing without me." The 'Ticking Time Bomb' was talking to himself. That was, until his demeanor favored completely neutral, and looked to Tsuna expectantly. "So? What was it that he was too much of a fag for? What was he thinking of that he couldn't go through with?"

Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed, and he thought back to his first full day in Namimori, when he ran away from his brother, inwardly venting his misery, before running into Ryohei and ultimately Yamamoto, who he thought was the _perfect athlete_—but who also thought that opinion a lie. "I…do you remember when he broke his arm?"

Gokudera nodded without a snarky comment, surprisingly.

Maybe it was common knowledge. As far as Tsuna knew, Yamamoto devoted his entire life to baseball, and was always at practice. So he shrugged, trying to make it as little of a deal as possible. "When we first met, he told me because he broke his arm, and he, er, failed at baseball, maybe his life wasn't worth living."

Wrong thing to say.

Tsuna knew that he was never good at words, and the possibility of things spiraling out of control in his life often happened—_Giotto, Enma, Mama, Iemitsu, Lambo—_but the way Gokudera's expression changed, shifting into absolute disgust, he should have known better.

Gokudera's calmness dropped, lips tight and grim. He stood, dropping the pack of cigarettes that sat casually in his lap along with the loaf of bread he'd been nibbling and marched through the mesh of people in the courtyard, warning no one in his path.

No. Oh, _no, no, no!_ "Gokudera-kun—!"

_SLAP. _

The _entire_ student body in their year silenced—all whom decided to eat lunch outside heard the sickening crack as Gokudera's hand made contact with Yamamoto's now-swollen cheek. Mochida-senpai stood from his seat, automatically checking over his boyfriend, but—

"The seven years we fucking _know each other_, I go get a girlfriend that smudges your damn baseball record, and because of that _broken arm,_ the first thought you get is _suicide_?"

Yamamoto didn't need this treatment—no, not now, not _ever._ Even then, the baseball player looked to his best friend, brown eyes shimmering with confusion, and Tsuna darted for the pair.

He didn't like the way Yamamoto didn't come to his senses, or how those normally cheerful eyes stared him right in the face, mouth open only slightly with no true thing to say. Tsuna stared back, throat aching and body flushing with a rush of embarrassed heat as he grabbed Gokudera by the arm.

"That's enough," Tsuna stammered frightfully. No, no, no, no—they just needed to survive the next two weeks, then get Enma here—and the two weeks were just of going to school. Not…things spiraling out of control. "Calm down, Gokudera-kun—"

"And you don't even have the _balls_ to tell me? _Well_?" The challenge was thick in the hothead's voice. And…Gokudera was shaking with anger. "You tell it to a little _brat_ on the street, but not _me_? Say something, you moron!"

Thank the Gods, Yamamoto finally managed something—managed a frown. "Gokudera—"

"Screw you!" With a violent jerk, Tsuna found himself landing harshly on his butt and Gokudera marching off, griping about his cigarettes.

And everybody was staring at him with wide eyes. _**Crap.**_

A large hand caught Tsuna's sight, extended forth, and he looked to its owner with wide eyes. What idiot would offer him a hand after telling Gokudera-kun something that he actually _didn't _know?

"Are you alright?" Yamamoto. That was who.

"I-I…" No. Not at all. He just dug himself a deeper hole, over something he'd promised himself was _not his problem._ His mouth tasted funny. "I'm sorry."

Tsuna stood up on his own and immediately sprinted out the courtyard with spicy tuna dangerously oozing up his esophagus and threatening to spew at any minute. He needed to throw up.

Being the victim was always easy. All you had to do was lay there, eyes closed, and count backwards from a thousand until they finished kicking you in the stomach. But being the perpetrator, ruining a friendship so deep—made kicks in the stomach seem like butterflies.

OoOoO

"How'd the surgery go?"

"_Fine—you could have called a few days ago when he got it. Now all we're looking for is a vocal coach. The kid just doesn't speak." _

"He _can't_ speak or he _won't_ speak?"

Silence. _"That's not very funny, Giotto._"

"Didn't mean for it to be funny." Giotto pinched the bridge of his nose, a frustrated sigh escaping his lips as he looked at his personal phone and its caller. It had to be his favorite picture of his best friend—grouchy, scowling and shoving the blond away when he insisted on taking a snapshot when Mami '_prettifully'_ colored his face with her mother's makeup. "No offense, but you're kind of scary."

"_**You**_ _put a newborn baby in an __**aquarium**__!" _

"Enma isn't a newborn baby." The blond cracked a grin, watching as Dino meddled with his best friend's own desk on the other side of their large office. Not a second too soon, he cringed when—_**BAM-CRACKLE-BOOM!**_"He's, er. Cute."

"_What the hell was that?" _

"Nothing, nothing."A glare passed between brothers, and Giotto gestured with his hands for Dino to _stop_ trying to juggle a rubber band ball, a stapler, and some sticky notes. "So, uh. Is he still in the hospital? You're not planning on sending him back to school, right?"

More silence. _"It's…up to Enma. If it was my choice, then I wouldn't even let him because of his siblings, and…damn, his teachers say that he's got flawless scores before he'd missed the weeks. He was ahead of the rest of the class—she even said they were about to give him an assessment exam to skip a grade, or even early graduation."_

Class nerd. Hiding himself behind band-aids, always quiet and—well, now Giotto knew he wouldn't have to pester Reborn about finally tutoring Tsuna. "That does explain a lot about him."

"_He's…something else, that's for sure." _

"He's just got to get comfortable with you," Giotto promised.

G snorted. _"Highly ironic. Sure, I get along just __**swell**__ with your little brother, and you get to rub it in my fucking face how you get along just fine with the little brother of—"_ There was a halt in the conversation. Giotto caught on quickly, and he denied the hitch in their conversation.

"I can't believe you just said swell."

"_I'm tempted to trade." _

"No refunds. Even if my little brother's a little buggy with the druggies. Speaking of which—there he is." Giotto flashed another smile as the chocolate brown hair of his little brother came to view through the glass. Eagerly, Dino stood to his feet with a child's grin and let the boy in. "Say '_hi'_ to Tsuna, G."

"_Hey, Kid."_ There was a smile in his best friend's voice.

Which lacked on his little brother's. Immediately, Giotto felt his face fall into a frown as Tsuna slipped into the room, eyes on the ground and brow furrowed. Dino seemed to notice, too. "You alright?"

"What?" Startled, the teenager looked up with wide eyes between both brothers before shrinking again. That wasn't a good sign. "I…I'm fine. I-It's okay."

"_What? What's going on?" _

"You hear that, but you didn't hear Dino splitting your desk in half twenty minutes ago?" Giotto arched a wry eyebrow.

"_He did WHAT—"_

"Bye G!" In an Olympic record, the oldest of the Vongola family leaped across the room, grabbed Giotto's phone—nervously laughing, of course—and hung up before shoving it deep in his pocket and glaring daggers at an ignorant Giotto.

No, Giotto wasn't even looking at his older brother. Fiery eyes were transfixed at his brother's disheveled features—pale, lost, and looked like he could vomit at any moment. Tsuna was long from trembling, and for a moment he thought his little brother may be suffering after effects of his flu—which was highly unlikely. Tsuna was healthy as a horse the day before. Slowly he turned his eyes, frown fixated across his lips, and the glare disappeared from Dino's baby face.

"I'll…go feed your goldfish." Dino scratched his head with a cheeky smile, pulling away ever so slowly from the younger blond's desk. He spared one look to their youngest brother, concern fluttering across his face, then left the room in peace.

"Don't you _dare_ use a can opener and overfeed them like _last time,_" Giotto called after him. His eyes narrowed at the giggling behind his closed door while Dino hopped away, then paid heed to Tsuna, who looked to him, once again distressed and unsure what to do. He checked his clock quickly, noting school was over an hour ago, then gestured to his chair. "Sit."

If Tsuna hadn't looked sickly before, then this was no improvement with the small teenager looking sick to his stomach, paler than his older brother's white documents as he trudged down empty space and placing himself in the squishy chair in front of Giotto's desk.

"You're not in trouble," Giotto quickly clarified. Then he halted, thought passing through his mind before curtly shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "Okay. You sort of are."

Great. Tsuna only slumped further in his seat, not even _trying_ for a comeback. No, '_I'm really fine—honest!' _or an '_oh'_ or any other sense of denial. Just…a frown.

"Tsuna—"

"I'm fine," said a squeaky voice so inaudibly Giotto wondered if he'd actually been interrupted.

"No. You aren't." _Prip. Prip, prip, prip, prip—_damn, why was he tapping the freaking table? Giotto's voice softened gently, and the worry bubbled in his stomach. "The last time you got this way…"

He didn't even need to finish. Tsuna cringed for the both of them, and quite frankly Giotto pitied the boy. The two words, '_run'_ and '_away_' thankfully hadn't left his mouth, and now he was grateful.

Only now, the elephant in the room was quite clear. Neither spoke, and he took the liberty to study his fragile little brother.

Tsuna was a _caretaker_. Tsuna was _shy._ He was _quiet_, and soaked everything uttered to him like a sponge—both good and bad. It was the latter that worried Giotto, actually. And he remembered, there was a ferocity in the—_oh Lord, Dino couldn't have possibly had more influence over him_—little guy that medicine wasn't needed to draw out. Tsuna never tried to play things cool because he cared too much for an outcome where everyone made it out safely. He didn't play the hero, but he might as well have been one.

"…G says Enma came through with his surgery just fine," muttered the adult softly. He couldn't help the way his lips managed an upturn.

Just at that little news, the brunet looked up, genuinely surprised, then sunk back down in his seat. His eyes changed, flickering with a different emotion—_relief, obviously—_before he hid his ears under a pair of shoulders. "That's good."

"Then I don't have to worry about you running away again. And I'm hoping you didn't get a girl pregnant—the more that girl comes into the picture, the more your sexuality confuses me." Or there lack of. Tsuna gave him a look, horrified, but Giotto managed a brief chuckle. "That's not it then. Tell me—I don't feel like throwing away the entire world a second time to look for my little brother."

Maybe it was because Enma and Cozart were just _blatantly obnoxious_ redheads that the way they blushed automatically lit the room. Tsuna, on the other hand, offered an entirely different hue Giotto never noticed. Often his little brother blushed, but he never noticed the way his cheeks almost seemed _painted_ a natural flush, glowing red against his creamy skin like he'd been out in the cold too long and his body was making up with over excessive heat. Only, you know, it was like that _all the time._

And then there was the way his cheeks would glow darker, if possible, but Giotto pushed that comment aside. Tsuna was troubled with something, and his many observations would be saved for later.

"I'm," finally started the brunet in the quietest tone Giotto had heard. That achievement, he noted lightly, was hard considering his brother's timidity. "I'm a horrible friend."

Which was when Giotto nearly fell out of his chair from shock, heart dropping into a bottomless pit as he had to run in his mind what Tsuna'd just said. "I beg your pardon?"

Silence. Tsuna wasn't going to repeat himself, and Giotto definitely wasn't going to let him.

"You," he blabbered and it honestly came out more obnoxious than intended, "a horrible friend?"

Tsuna didn't nod. But he didn't shake his head, either.

"You—" What the hell? Giotto could have sworn his vocabulary wasn't limited to pronouns. "—You do realize last week I couldn't bring myself to be angry at you because although you _ran away_, you did it to help a friend?"

Nothing? _Nada. _

"Little brother," he groaned haphazardly (really, where was this misplaced immaturity coming from? He hadn't the slightest idea), "You're a horrible friend as I am a responsible older brother. Two seconds ago, we were treating the phrase _'run away'_ like it was a curse out of _Harry Potter_, and I just said it again—"

"I-I'm not talking about Enma!" Oh. Silence. "I'm…sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"No, it's fine." At least it was finally clear, and Giotto could sit in peace in his chair. He looked to his brother as amiably as possible, but the brunet was purely tortured. His chest softened, and Giotto inched closer to the teenager. "If this isn't about Enma, then who is it about?"

"Y…" Tsuna deteriorated in his seat. Giotto grimaced. "Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun."

That had been a problem Giotto had known familiarly for years. He stared at his brother, not too surprised by the problem or the fact Tsuna had been caught up in the middle of it—though excruciatingly shocked that his brother would bother with their...circumstance. Then again, he thought idly, his brother was Tsuna the Caretaker. Of course this problem would bother him.

When he didn't respond, he realized Tsuna was looking at him both expectantly and fearfully. "I-I…made a mess of things."

"I've been making cracks about when they'd get together for years," Giotto offered. Though a second later he realized it probably wasn't what Tsuna wanted to hear—until, that is, chocolate brown eyes rolled and the line of his lips widened ever-so slightly. "G and I have been placing bets on when Hayato-kun would come out of the closet."

Stare.

"Trust me—big pile of money. Keeps getting bigger."

More staring.

"Though I think I'm winning. Then again, back in '09, he called it that Takeshi-kun would fall for Hayato-kun first." Giotto tapped his chin thoughtfully, the matter having disappeared for a moment before he remembered what they were discussing and offered a pity smile. "Don't worry. Gaspare and I aren't the only ones placing bets. Asari is—_o-kay_. We can drop that part of the subject because you're clearly not smiling or falling for my charm."

Oh, God. He was turning into Dino.

Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed, and he hunched over, frustration written clearly on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, yet had nothing to say.

It was a problem Giotto knew clearly—Tsuna either blabbed what was on his mind before realizing the consequences, or he wasn't sure if he had the approval to say what was on his mind. Giotto leaned over, fingers pressing gently to his brother's forehead, and tilted his head with much concern. Tsuna jumped in his seat. "Little brother…you can tell me whatever's on your mind. Promise. This time, I won't make a joke out of it or make fun of you."

Again Tsuna opened his mouth, but the hesitation was easily read on his face. Giotto moved his hand, carefully squeezing his brother's shoulder in attempt to subdue him, and it proved to be working. "They've been…arguing lately. More than usual—" Tsuna looked Giotto in the eye. "—and Yamamoto would retaliate because Gokudera-kun was just being…er, mean. That'd been how I left them. And…going back to school today…"

"What happened at school?" Giotto waited with anticipation.

"I…Y-Yamamoto had told me something that he didn't tell Gokudera-kun. And I didn't know that." Tsuna shut his eyes, and Giotto fetched the water bottle he kept in his drawer. The brunet took it without second thought, pink etching up his cheeks. "So I told him. I just…I didn't think—" His voice faltered, and any wit Giotto had left disappeared into true worry. "I didn't think that…it'd hurt them so badly and…I couldn't face either one of them."

"Feeling like the third wheel?"

"A wobbly one." Tsuna bit his lip and closed his eyes.

"Are they mad at you?"

Shrug. "Didn't stick around long enough to find out. And—Yamamoto has been giving me looks, b-but they're not…glares, and…no one's seen Gokudera since lunch. I haven't, either. I…I ran out on Yamamoto before he could say anything."

Huh.

"They're…" Tsuna's voice dropped to an uncertain whisper, "they're different. From Enma."

"Opinions granted, you're a little different yourself, don't you think?" Now he was treading on thinly iced territory. Giotto raised his head, eyes narrowing in a mildly condescending way. Mirth danced in his eyes, and he tried not to smile against his brother's look of confusion and unintentional, sarcastic comment that went unsaid. "You may have been…Enma's little-big brother, but…even then, G and I are there in a heartbeat. Takeshi-kun and Hayato-kun, on the other hand…you're not the little-big brother. They see you as if _you're_ Enma, and _you_ need to be taken care of."

Not satisfied with the thought, the brunet's face switched into the urgent alarm when he wasn't comfortable with a situation. "B-But—"

"You have friends who are concerned for your wellbeing." Giotto cut him off brusquely, expression of light stern as he put forth his hand in gesture to stop the teenager. "And if you realize it or not, the more you insist they don't make a fuss over you, you're pushing them away."

His brother's entire face contorted and Giotto knew the boy was relishing a quiet epiphany. He bowed his head in shame. "I broke up their friendship, though."

"You didn't…_break up their friendship._ They're just going through a rough patch that's lasted a really, really long time." His heart sunk, guilt tingling in his lungs. Seeing his brother stressing out over matters that…quite frankly, didn't involve him. "You said yourself that Takeshi doesn't _seem_ like he's angry at you."

"You think he'll talk to me ever again?"

"Boy can't keep his mouth shut." Giotto chuckled wryly and set his hand on top of Tsuna's. As the fingers brushed against his palm, he paused, and an odd tingling sensation bubbled in his stomach. Tsuna looked back at him, ignorant, and curled his hand until the blond was touching his knuckles.

"I could just…they were used to being friends without me there." Tsuna frowned, but oddly enough he seemed less irrational. "I don't have to stick out."

"But then it'd kill you if you didn't fix the problem."

Tsuna's chin met his chest, perplexed, and Giotto knew he spoke the truth.

"You heard it yourself this morning," offered the blond with faint mirth. "Takeshi-kun is our new neighbor, and I've known the kid for years. You should have seen him when he had the little crush on G. Hayato was livid and jealous for months and—well, they were only thirteen at the time. It was funny watching the kid keep wary notes on him."

"Yamamoto?"

"_Hayato_." Giotto laughed when a tousled sigh escaped Tsuna's lips. Of course it wasn't surprising. As they entered a more comfortable silence, Giotto fingered his pen and looked back to the documents in front of him. His hand had gone contentedly numb, happy to be holding the teenager's. Honestly, it was…nice. Really nice.

"Should I…go over there, or wait for him to come to me?"

Hm. "The Tsuna that was unintentionally pushing away good friends would try to hide, under the impression that he couldn't do anything right for his friends." Giotto raised his head, eyes flickering with its fervent bliss. Tsuna looked to their hands, calculative, and he didn't stop him. "What would the Tsuna, who treasures all friendships and has an irrevocable habit of wanting to help others, do?"

A pregnant pause stood between them as Tsuna bit his light pink lips. He'd come up with the conclusion having been drawn _ages_ ago despite reluctance driving it away, and stood from his seat, nervousness clear across his face. "Okay."

Much to the brunet's horror, he spun around and got closer to the door—"Wait."

Tsuna stopped and looked puzzled.

"You, little brother, still need to work for another couple hours. I don't get off work until _nine_, remember?" It took a moment to click, Giotto could tell, but once it registered in Tsuna's mind of the relaxed offer, his little brother sighed in relief. "You can head straight there after work. Just…go fix whatever Dino's broken at G's desk."

The brunet nodded gratefully yet hesitantly as he turned his head to look at the destruction. As he did so, Giotto bit back a smile and the bits and pieces of information he knew of Tsuna. There was no doubt of his brother's timidity. However, when concerning himself with Tsuna's problems, he had to wonder why Tsuna held back when it came to his friends rather than him. Was it because they were brothers? Was it because of that…kiss?

Oh, God no.

Giotto shoved the thought away, cheeks sprinkled in light pink. As far as he knew, Tsuna had no current memory of the incident, and he hoped for the day where it wasn't the first thing that came to mind when dealing with his little brother.

"Giott—?"

"Yeah?" Crap, that sounded tense. Giotto raised his head, met with the puzzled look pertaining to his brother's face.

"Um, someone's calling on my phone, and I don't know who the number is." Quickly, he added, "A-and I have both Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto's numbers, so I know it's not them."

"Alright. Tell me the number." It was both a pleasure and a pain to have a picture perfect memory. Oddly enough, he didn't recognize any of the digits his brother recited. "Maybe someone got a new phone? Go ahead and answer it."

Tsuna nodded slowly, and the blond watched in mild interest as his brother pressed the phone to his face. "Hello?"

At first, there wasn't a noise. Giotto couldn't hear a murmur or any sign of life on the other end of the phone. Then he saw his brother's eyes widen—not from horror, thank goodness—as if whatever was happening was too good to be true.

Tsuna perked, and he watched his brother burst into a thousand-watt smile, cautious and hopeful. "Enma."

Well, that was a surprise. Giotto reached for his own phone to call G with questions, then remembered Dino had stolen it in attempt to hide the damage he'd done. He groaned, the suddenly realized said older brother had been gone for…_way_ too long. And his keys were missing.

"Tsuna," he said quickly. "I'm going to make sure Dino didn't flood the lobby." Or kill his damn fish.

Something flipped in Giotto's chest as he watched the relief flood his brother's eyes, almost in tears. The stormy clouds that once reeked were replaced with tiny, sparkling crescents and like day and night, Tsuna flipped. He nodded brightly—_bashfully_ and. And Giotto found himself both tingly and at a loss for words.

"Hold on, I'm at work." Just as obliviously, Tsuna tore the phone away from his ear and he shared a worried look to a stunned older brother. "Can I…we haven't…"

"…go ahead." Giotto offered a smile of his own, but he knew it didn't shine as bright as his brother's. Excusing himself for good, he made sure to give the brunet the office if only for a little while so Bite-Size and Brother #2 could catch up.

Well, Giotto thought, wondering why his heart would just skip a beat. Fervent pink skated across his cheeks, and he forced it down. That was odd.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

Well. I'm guessing I lost a lot of reviewers after throwing out the cancer card and writing the peak of Giotto's vulnerability when it comes to Daemon. A little depressing, but I've been trying to push that part of the story out of the way for quite some time now. :)

_About Tsuna: _

So who thought I'd dish out 8059 the moment Tsuna would go back to school? Remember all those months back before Tsuna ran away from home, he was caught in the wildfire of those two idiots arguing, so now, he's just stuck in the middle while they figure things out—while using him as the scapegoat because oddly enough, Gokudera considers Tsuna his closest friend away from Yamamoto, and vice versa. Unfortunately. In the middle of writing this chapter, I realized how it wasn't a good idea it was, but I've had that slap scene in my arsenal for about three months now; it was kind of just coincidental with the last chapter.

Also I had a couple comments asking/assuming Tsuna would top. That kinda…cracked me up.

_About Giotto: _

One of my reviewers commented on Giotto and Dino's relationship as brothers, and I've gotta say, I actually did love the comment a lot: "_I like how Dino and Giotto are brothers... and so... brotherly yet unbrotherly at the same time. They're there for each other and know each other but at the same time don't have that wall that some siblings tend to..."_ – FaerieDemon

It's something I had never really put a background for, but yeah. Giotto basically is a hugger (despite being so hesitant toward Tsuna in early chapters), and he pushes a lot of the boundaries as a brother. Example A would be cuddling with Dino; which he now does with Tsuna. Dino's grown up with Giotto. Tsuna's getting used to it, but in the process, falling for Giotto's affectionate side. Just an analysis on his character.

_About Other Things: _

Curiosity: How many of you cared for Cozart? + How many of you were leery of the summary of this story when I first posted it? Granted there are a ton others with the same idea (which is kind of why I decided to write it), but was there anything that might have kept you from reading the story? Or tempted you?

Fact: You guys keep asking about him and I really wanted to avoid writing him because he's quite possibly the only character I am going to _suck_ at writing, but. Next chapter: Kyouya Hibari babysits Tsuna Sawada.


	26. birds and hedgehogs

**FaerieDemon** That would be the point, actually. xD All three no doubt have a good heart, but Tsuna gets his goofiness from Dino and a bit of his rational mind from Giotto—then they all just kinda combine traits with a major one being their many quirks. **PlushiePaw **Well I dislike forgetting points unless I seriously have to, so sometimes I have to reread past chapters to jot my memory. xD **Lireach **I liked "buggy with the druggies" actually. It was cute. xD And. Sorta, I guess. There are sea monkeys involved in this chapter. C': **ZirciX **Haha, I don't talk to my brother much, but you have to understand something—their blushing and cuddling is sorta more leaning toward incest, so unless you're willing to fall for a stepbro, I don't think you'd swing that way. xD **kikyokyoyahibari **Hm, haven't heard from you in a while. But that's nice to know; I'm glad I make people happy. C': **RanRanByakuran **Actually…I can't really comment on this because it's a point I'm covering in the author's note. xD; **Suzuru Seiyo **There's a mention of Romario a couple chapters back, actually. C': **Ophianara Blade **That's okay. C: **Breathless02 **Tsuna does it a little too well. xD; He worries too much, and that's kinda what makes him imperfect. I do love writing it. **Fire Princess21 **Eh, trust me. xD I'm a bit more worried about all the hate reviews I'll get rather than the fanning of Hibari. I poked at his character a lot. **Drunk **And Giotto did it all by himself without G having to show him how! Yay for him! :D **Anello di Tempesta **Hmm. Jealous Giotto? Maybe, maybe not. C': **fan girl666 **Thank you. C': **ezcap1st **Yeah, he was. xD; And…I seriously don't care for Hibari, but quite honestly this is just a filler chapter to lead up to the next one. **Hanori Shiki **OMG CHAPTER 326 HAS HIM IN IT AND IT'S AMAZING. I love G. xD So much. **Kanberry **Dino is just…destructive. I love poking fun at his clumsiness and try so hard to top each one. xD Cat stuck in the banister may be one I can't top, however. **Iloveme264 **Chapter after the next one will be fun to write. C': **missjinx **Well, it _is_ Giotto and G. xD They have a tendency to make a show out of things. Dino, honestly…is probably a better driver than Giotto is. xD No one just has the guts or the heart to point that out to Giotto. The fact that Tsuna's voicing his opinion shows how much growth he's gone through since going to Namimori. I would say I'm very proud of him. C': YOUNG JUSTICE WAS AWESOME HOMG. **PurpleBlue23 **Giotto just…isn't a morning person. xD I think I made that a point sometime in the story (or planned to) that he had tutors half the time since he just _could not get out of bed. _**Rainbowbubble **You see, I've been writing this story for twenty-six chapters now and I still can't wrap my mind around the fact I'm writing incest. xD; I had this realization a couple weeks back. **Freakin-little **Tsuna is just always going to be stuck in the middle with the two. He can't force them to get along. Enma can. Wait, what? ;D **Vongola-Decimo **Nope. This story is a full AU. C': **Hexshell **I really dislike the idea of incest, actually. It freaks me out a lot. xD; And I think it's accurate—in too literal of a sense, rofl. **Lilth Vaan **Haha. That sucks, I'm sorry. D: **copycat-capycot **You are just a freaking sadist. xD **stormypeach1396 **Haha, thank you. C': **XxMissR27ShootingStarxX **Honestly I'm not that big on a crying Tsuna. There are moments wher eit's appropriate, but considering I took out the dynamic of 'potential mafia boss' from the story, there isn't a high point for Tsuna to get overly emotional. xD;; **Mel-Chama **Prideful's a word. An odd word that when I look back on makes me giggle, but it's a word. xD Gokudera…believe it or not, is showing very much love to Tsuna by following him like a lost puppy. xD There's more of that later, but the first signs started in 25. AND HNNNGHH YAMAMOTO. **Tangerine342 **8D? **totalamuto **That's nice to know. xD **Narutopokefan **LALALALALA. **Nekoboy44 **Routasuuuu, routasuuu, where are youuu? The first chapter was actually pretty generic. xD It was so put out flatly that it could have been set up for anything—which was the way I like it. **Df14-blacksnow **Haha, that's really sweet of you to say; thank you. xD **Eyes17k **I was watching Enchanted, and it was at the part where Patrick Dempsey's character goes, "Is this a habit of yours? Falling off things?" And Giselle being a princess and ditsy goes, "Well…normally someone's there to catch me!" It was cute. xD **rainbow muffinman **I actually…_hate_ writing oneshots. xD; It's just something that I can't bring myself to write because the plot always ends up more complicated—sometimes not unintentionally. I'll just create an entire story if I wanna make one scene. And I'm glad you reviewed; hope I see more from you! **Shinri's 2 lazy 2 login **The funny part is, no one's commented on how OOC Enma is compared to everyone else. xD They just take him as sweet, adorable, and the cutest thing ever. Tsuna is just stuck in the middle of everything, and obviously they're not making it better. **SoulReaper Rukia **I just…I just don't like him. xD;; I respect other people who are in love with him, he's just…not on my spectrum of favorites. **SelfcreatedCharacter **Haha, you'll just have to see! **XXxKHRObsessionxXX **You'll just have to wait and see. :) **xRynnX **Hibari babysitting Tsuna turned out absolutely hilarious. xD there's quite a bit of manga!Tsuna that peeks out through there. **Toushi-tama **Giotto can be so inhuman, but I can imagine him not wanting to get up in the morning. He'd probably act like a drunkard if woken up any earlier. Or worse. Like drugged!Tsuna. xD **Rachel-chanx3 **Quite honestly I don't really like using the 'cancer card' because I think it jumps the shark. I've never used it, but I hate it when over people use it because it pretty much sums up, "my life is horrid." xD; Mel-chama cracks me up. Love her. C': **Kamonohashi-chan **It's actually a lot less of a hassle for me whenever I reply using the wall. I prefer it. C': And yeah, the fact we're 26 chapters in and they still haven't jumped each other is amazing. So much love. :D **yamiatemyugi **Drugged Tsuna during sex is something that has crossed my mind more than once. xD I'm pretty interested in the thought, but it's not gonna happen, most likely. xD; **Kanjecture **Haha, the summary was as good as I could. xD; It's a bit odd, but I don't think I could find anything else to replace it. **KChoco **Giotto and Tsuna's issue over the trust just hasn't been touched. xD; It will be probably in the next chapter or so, I can't wait to write it. C': **r a a i n ** Haha, we'll have to see, won't we? C': Just gotta touch on Yamamoto and Gokudera's relationship a bit more and we're in the clear. Maybe. **Yuis **"who accepts his background as what it is without blaming anyone." To be honest, that's a great point and I'm gonna recommend keeping it in your arsenal for a bit. xD There are a couple that aren't gay, I'm getting tired of homosexual orgies in this story; but at the moment my current logic is, Giotto's gay so he most likely has made gay friends. "lips curtsied" is something I made up a long time ago, actually. xD Can't say I don't get that comment often; unfortunately you may have to endure that phrase for the rest of the story. **ForsakenSilverShadowArcher13 **Haha, everyone has a favorite chapter, I suppose? I'm sure my favorite at the moment is the one where G punches Zakuro in the nose. xD **Arienna Natalitha **Oh, _now _I remember this review. xD It cracked me up a little bit on what you've gotten from my interpretation. One-sided love? Alaude and Giotto will be together for a good long time, and I can assure you that it's not one-sided. And actually for Yamamoto, I've seen him laughing through most sentences in a lot of stories I've read. Made me laugh when you said that a real person doesn't laugh a lot, but I'm mostly basing it on the manga. No real person says "ushishishi", or "kufufufu" but you see that too. xD; I mean, I'm kinda taking and analyzing from the series rather than making an actual RL adaptation. Maybe it's just my writing…idk. I just know a lot of people say that it's really realistic. Brouille means…something. I think it was bird related, but it's been so long that I don't remember anymore. xD; Dino and Alaude? Where does that come from? Where does G and Enma come from? About 50% of the pairings in here are crack. xD **Red-gold-pink-yellow **Incest bothers me. Like. A lot. This is probably the fifth time I've put that out on the palte, actually. xDD Cozart actually...makes a parallel reference to Tsuna, and what Giotto needs in a lover. But I'll explain that later. **Tsuna27kety **Haha, you'll just have to see what's in this chapter. C: **FalseMoon **Yamamoto's reactions with Tsuna—are explained in this chapter. I do rather like that part. C':

**chapter twenty-six has** birds and hedgehogs.

Finding the instruction manual to G's desk was an easy job. Trying to actually fix it without getting a splinter (and how the heck did Dino actually put a foot-shaped dent into _wood_, anyway?) and preventing himself from falling over (how on earth did the chair _merge_ with the desk?) all while trying to keep noise to a minimum as an amused Giotto tried to do his work was not.

Tsuna spent the majority of the supposed three hours trying to figure out bits and pieces after Giotto shoved a pack of sea monkeys in Dino's face and forced their eldest brother to sit in the corner with a tiny glass bowl filled with water. His fingers throbbed with pain, head spun from unhealthy fumes, and he had a horrid fear that a cup of monkeys managed to seep through his jeans. A shiver passed through the pitiable brunet's spine once he sat carefully on the loveseat before altogether collapsing with sweet relief.

_How_ did Giotto manage twenty-five years with the guy? He'd mentioned the eldest was clumsy, but certainly not _that_ clumsy. Tsuna wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself.

"Tired, little brother?" Fervent mirth tickled through one of his brother's ears—Tsuna was too exhausted to figure out which sibling.

A jolt thundered through Tsuna, and he flinched, suddenly feeling a light tongue on his neck and little paws dancing on the small of his back. "Hi, Nuts."

"_Meow._" A mane of fluffy hair buried itself into the crook of the brunet's shoulder, and he lamented a sigh before rolling onto his belly. Nuts rewarded him with cheerful licks and affectionate kisses.

"Most cats are feral." Giotto arched an eyebrow, fiery eyes narrowing to the tepid teenager. Tsuna heard a chuckle without actually listening. "You know. Feminine and kinda sneaky. Nuts, on the other hand, is really—"

"Tsuna-ish." Dino interrupted and there was a pat on the shoulder from one brother to the other. "He's purebred, but was also one of the smallest kittens in his litter. The owner was actually gonna put him to sleep if it wasn't for the fact I fell in love with the little guy."

"Seems suiting. Just like how you carry Enzo around in your pocket."

"You're saying Enzo compliments my personality? How?"

"He doesn't compliment your personality, he suits you considering his hard shell—close to indestructible. Damn thing wouldn't stand a chance if it _wasn't_ a turtle."

"Giotto, you just said 'damn.' I think the time away from G is making you form some strange habits."

"…Oh my _god_ I'm turning into some hybrid of you and the smoker!"

To that Tsuna cracked a laugh, only a chuckle short of a giggle as he sheepishly arose from the seat, Nuts cuddled firmly against his chest. Dino was clueless, Giotto was having another of his silly stress attacks. Funny how ever since Dino's arrival the younger blond ended up being the one to fill his best friend's shoes. His chest felt light, ears still tingling from the conversation with Enma, but heart was heavy. A nervous sigh escaped his lips as he set the kitten in his place on the couch.

Giotto snapped from playful bickering with Dino and looked to the teenager in curiosity. "Going over to Yamamoto Sushi?"

Tsuna nodded grimly. It was a promise he'd made to Giotto, and his brother was right. The old Tsuna pushed away his friends, nervous and afraid of being taken care off. Ever since moving to Namimori he found himself with friends left and right, Yamamoto insisting on taking care of him, Gokudera-kun pushing plain hard facts, Kyoko—_a girl_—actually talking to him among other things. He…liked being taken care of. He liked having friends who cherished him rather than mocked him into an early grave, and it was once when he radiated with Shimon's nervous lack of confidence that he ever got into a fist fight.

"Dino's cooking tonight." When Dino was out of earshot and in the kitchen, Giotto added quietly, "So bring a lot of sushi and I'll make sure to put the fire department on speed dial."

"But…the pancakes he made this morning looked good."

"Tsuna there is a _reason_ why we had a fire extinguisher in every single room of our second house when growing up."

"E-Er. Right." Blinking, Tsuna slowly nodded and made his way to the door.

"Heading out?" Dino chirped cheerily. In one hand was an egg beater and the other a spatula. "I'm making spaghetti. Anything special that you want with it, little brother? Giotto likes his with extra cheese."

Tsuna had a feeling the reason Giotto asked for extra cheese was because the original would end up on the ground or plastered to the ceiling. He shook his head, small smile spread across his face. "I've only had spaghetti once before, so—"

"You've never had true _Italiano spaghetti?_" Hilariously enough it was the middle brother who burst into a tragic gasp. Tsuna jumped as a blur of bright blond swooped into the kitchen, and automatically twin looks of alarm passed through both older brothers. "Omigod—the sheep thing is enjoying himself in Italy and—and—Dino!"

"He's never had Italiano spaghetti!" Dino threw his hands up in the air, miraculously avoiding injury while the egg beater landed perfectly in the sink. "Giotto, the grocer's doesn't close until twelve, right? Meatballs! We have to buy meatballs!"

"And the sauce!" Giotto insisted. He shook the inch-taller brother with an identical look of _pure craziness_ and pressed a hand to his face. "There's just too much Japanese in the room! Big brother—who's driving?"

"Who? Me, of course! I'm a better driver!"

"And what's wrong with _my_ driving, Mister Accident Prone?"

Um. Brown eyes looked back and forth at the scene presented, faintly amused. He wasn't sure whether to crack a smile or to back away slowly. Failing for conclusion, Tsuna leaned against the door with a quiet snort, edges of his lips lifting. "Guys?"

"_Si,_ _piccolino_?" They asked in unison. Dropping the act, Dino grinned and leaned into the middle brother.

"You're so awesome." The brunet felt his cheeks flutter pink, smile widening, then slipped out the door to leave his brothers argue about grocery shopping. He crossed the rooftop, a roll of his eyes reserved for their antics, and another sigh escaped his lips as he waited for the elevator. One moment Dino could be hiding behind the lamp while Giotto tried to figure out who broke one of the couch legs, and the next they were singing show tunes and debating the blond lookalikes in Katekyo Hitman Rebirth.

_Ding._ The elevator opened.

"Oh, Tsuna—"

"Y-Yamamoto." Tsuna's voice dropped to a dead whisper, eyes widening in surprise as he craned his neck to look at his tallest friend. Yamamoto stood parallel to him, beaming ear-to-ear with a bat tucked over his shoulder. Wait…eek! "Y-You're not going to b-beat me up with that, are you? !"

The smile disappeared, replaced with Yamamoto's natural cluelessness as he tilted his head to the side, then laughed again with content. "With my baseball bat?"

WITH WHAT ELSE? Tsuna took an instinctive step back, hesitant to draw attention elsewhere as his complexion paled to a petty white.

"Tsuna…" The baseball player with _really big arms_'s eyes softened, and he lowered the bat, sheepish smile returning to his face. "I'm not going to hurt you, haha. But I know you're really shy and are probably blaming yourself for this. I mean, you wouldn't even look me in the eye for the rest of class or anything, and it's better to make up now than never, right?"

"A…Actually, I was going over to Yamamoto Sushi right now to see if your dad knew where you were." Tsuna dropped his gaze and mentally hit himself over the head. Yamamoto may have been tall for their age group, but he was a gentle as a butterfly. While Gokudera-kun was a living monsoon, Yamamoto was a light rain shower. Nothing harmful, everything sweet.

"Oh." It took Yamamoto by surprise. "Um. You wanna go inside then, to talk?"

"N-No," Tsuna shook his head and paled at the thought of finding Dino with a broken nose and foot caught in the toilet. _Again._ "But I wanted to say I'm sorry. And apologize. F-For everything." He took in a shaky breath, heart trembling, and curled his fingers to the hem of his pants. "It…wasn't my business, and I should have respected your privacy, even if Gokudera-kun already did know."

"…go on."

He looked up to darker, sharper eyes, and noted that Yamamoto didn't look the least bit angry. Why not? "I should have given you the benefit of the doubt a-and…not have freaked out the way I did. Running away and all during school. I'm sorry. I'm…" Looking Yamamoto in the face was horribly difficult. "I'm a horrible friend."

"You're _not_ a horrible friend, Tsuna." A hand found itself tangled through Tsuna's locks, and he jumped in surprise from the mirth in his friend's voice. Yamamoto started off with a soft laugh before descending into a kind tone. "Didn't you hear what I just said? You're shy. And I'm not mad at you, I'm just…I'm not mad at you."

"How can you not be?" Without even realizing it, his voice had escalated into a more demanding tone. Tsuna recoiled, heart pounding in his chest as he looked at his friend in the eye. "I did something wrong—I _always_ do something wrong, and I'm—I'm _No Good Tsuna_—I just. I just _am wrong_ all the time."

The surprise was visible in Yamamoto's eyes. He tilted his head, taken off guard by Tsuna's string of words, but he simply shook his head. This time, the taller teen _did_ look mad, but. All for the wrong reasons. "Who calls you No Good Tsuna?"

"E…Everyone." Everyone in Shimon, anyway.

"You're not. Er, not _no good_, anyway. Uh, here—let's find somewhere to sit." Yamamoto looked around dizzily, hands wrapped delicately around Tsuna's shoulders before guiding the younger teenager on a bench in the front yard. "Okay, let's talk about this. First off, you're _not_ No Good Tsuna, Tsuna. You're just…Tsuna."

His eyes had widened to the size of Frisbees, body petrified as the taller teen tried to calm him down.

"And you're _not_ a horrible friend." An exasperated sigh escaped Yamamoto's lips, followed by a nervous chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair. "Tsuna, I heard what you did for Kozato. Every chance given I tried prying information out of Master Asari Ugetsu, and it's quite possibly the sweetest thing I've ever heard. The most _noble._" Tsuna's cheeks turned bright red. "You took care of him the entire time he visited and during your birthday. But the thing is…remember how you and I met?"

The brunet nodded.

"You were sweet. You were nice. When you came you changed me for the better, Tsuna. You saved me from making the biggest mistake in my life by almost…ending it, haha." Yamamoto filled the silent void with a soft, awkward laugh. "But you were meek, and always looked to the ground. Always…trying really hard to blend in, and you were a fish out of water. Believe it or not, Gokudera thinks very highly of you—even respects you. His pride just won't admit it, and…well, my life would be nothing without you. Literally."

"But you don't need to—"

"Take care of you?" Yamamoto finished. His eyes narrowed, a light balance of irritation teeming in his irises, then he shook his head. "It's kind of…half-and-half, Tsuna."

"You fed me sushi. _Spoon_ fed me." Apparently that was enough to get a laugh out of Yamamoto. The weight on his heart lessened, and Tsuna managed to sit straighter in his seat.

"Okay, maybe I went a little overboard, haha. But I did get a point across." Yamamoto leaned forward, earnestly looking the other teenager in the eye and smiled genuinely. "I don't _have_ to take care of you. But I _want_ to take care of you and feel the _need_ to. It's admiring what you do for people—even when good intentions have wrong results."

"Yamamoto—"

"_Tsuna._ We're friends, and that's all there is to it. Okay?" Yamamoto cupped his face, goofy smile at hand, and nodded his head for him. "Say it. Say _yes_, Tsuna. Yup, yup!"

"B-But…I-I…" His head was spinning.

"No more buts." Yamamoto joked a threatening look. "I mean it."

"Then…what about Gokudera?"

Oddly enough it wasn't pain that masqueraded upon Yamamoto's face. He looked to the other teenager, still lopsided grin and all, then shrugged. "Haha, he's always angry at me for _something_, Tsuna. And I think it's my turn to be sorry."

"For what?" Yamamoto had been nothing but _nice_ to him, and made Tsuna feel more welcomed than anyone had ever done.

"The day you and I became friends was also the day you got caught in the middle of Gokudera and my…relationship." Yamamoto laughed ironically and rubbed the back of his neck. "It was kind of destined for failure from the start. You ended up being the middle person because, quite frankly, we're too stubborn to admit when we're wrong. I'm not mad at you for what you said—no, not at all. Under normal circumstances—if you were someone else…then yeah. But you're not. And if we didn't drive you in the middle—getting my problems and Gokudera's—then you wouldn't have blabbed. You wouldn't have been confused."

"It's still my fault though." Tsuna shook his head in refusal. No. Others taking the blame for him was—

"I'm not blaming you and you're not blaming me. And I…_we're_ here for you when you need us." Yamamoto gently tilted his head and pressed a hand to Tsuna's shoulder. "Gokudera and I will work this out ourselves, okay? Haha. So how about…we agree to disagree."

Tsuna stared at his friend long and hard, finding it impossible to keep his body still. Finally he nodded, knowing well that Yamamoto wasn't going to let him win. And, if he wasn't going to let Yamamoto win, either, then… "O-Okay. Do you…want to come inside?"

"You sure? You turned pretty pale whenever I suggested it the first time." Yamamoto laughed.

"...well," the brunet started softly, shrugging as he stood from the bench, "there hasn't been any crashes and the house hasn't collapsed yet. That might be a sign saying my brothers haven't castrated the place."

"Haha, how can you _castrate_ a hous…oh, you're serious."

"Y-Yeah." Tsuna dug for his house key and unlocked the door. Giotto sat quaintly on the couch, look of irritation on his face, then turned back.

Suddenly he smiled. "You two make up?"

"Like birds and bees, haha." Yamamoto laughed while Tsuna smiled back. "Hey, Giotto-niisan. Could I ask a question?"

Tsuna looked between both men before carrying himself to the kitchen to inspect any damage. Giotto apparently noticed. "Dino drenched himself in orange juice by accident. He's going to go shower, and then we'll…go out for dinner. It's a little late, anyway. And sure. What do you need, Takeshi-kun?"

"You and Doctor Brouille are dating…right?"

Silence. In the background something on TV was freaking out about a broccoli monster as Tsuna held his breath in fear of Giotto's answer.

"Something like that. Why?"

"How about you and he go on a date Friday night? Tsuna and I can have a sleepover party and argue about it later. Rebirth marathon sound good, haha?" Yamamoto looked over to Tsuna casually with a smile. Horrified far too many times that day, Tsuna hesitantly turned his head to read his brother's reaction.

Giotto was blushing. _Horribly._ "We're not a couple that goes on dates, Takeshi-kun."

"Why not?" Yamamoto smiled eagerly. "It's not too late to start, haha. Why don't you call him right now?"

Oh god. They finally made up and Yamamoto was about to die. Giotto opened his mouth in protest (Tsuna was sure of it), and unable to find one, closed his mouth. He met eyes with a tense Tsuna, eyebrows arched, then reached for his phone on the table. Hesitation flashed through his eyes, and slowly he pressed a button before pressing it to his ear.

Great. Alaude was on _speed dial._ Yamamoto was beaming from ear-to-ear, and edging this on. However, _he_ wasn't the one who would stay behind for Giotto's reaction once his brother was done!

After a moment of silence, Giotto turned his head, hand pressing against his free ear and shoulders hunched over. "Hey, Alaude." Pause. "Yeah, doing fine. I have something to ask you." Pause. "_No_, not that. Maybe later. Um. Do you think you might wanna…go on a date?" His voice cracked maybe three octaves. Tsuna watched the red rise up his brother's neck to his ears, and the anticipation was visibly thick across the adult's face. Suddenly it loosened, and Giotto tossed his head back, no doubt with a light headache. "Right. Okay. Sure. I'll um. I'll see you Friday."

With that he hung up the phone and a low groan escaped the adult's throat. Tsuna inched closer to Yamamoto. The guy was, after all, taller than his brother, s-so Giotto might back down…o-or something.

"I know some great restaurants if you've got a dating block." Yamamoto smiled and looked to Tsuna. "We could watch some Disney princess movies, or wrestling, or sports, or even just cartoons. You wanna have a 'worst movies of all time' marathon?"

"S-Sure…y-yeah…" Quite honestly Tsuna was more concerned with what Giotto was gonna do with him than an actual sleepover.

Luckily Dino managed to hop down the stairs without making a mess of himself. "Alright! Ooh, Takeshi, you're here! What's wrong, Giotto? Aren't we going grocery shopping?"

Giotto groaned again. The other blond looked to their youngest for less confusing answers. Tsuna gulped.

"Giotto's got a date with Alaude on Friday."

OoOoO

Kyouya Hibari.

Tsuna was familiar with that name for only two occasions: when first finding out Alaude-san was also the chairman to his school, and when he apparently retrieved the brunet's pants (ironically since his growth spurt Tsuna probably wouldn't fit them anymore.) Alaude and Kyouya looked more alike than most people did for uncles and nephews. According to Giotto on their own father's side they had two uncles that he'd never met, and Nana was an only child.

A lot of people looked alike in this town, and acted alike. Yamamoto and his teacher, Asari Ugetsu, G and Gokudera. That priest/doctor person, Knuckle-san even sort of looked like Ryohei. Yamamoto and Asari both laughed and were very cheerful men, while G and Gokudera bickered over beer and smoke.

Hilariously G was probably twenty times calmer than Gokudera-kun.

Hibari-san and Alaude-san had the same haircut. They duplicated the same curl of the lips, had similar sharp eyes, stood the same, and quite frankly had the same scary aura others either noticed or didn't care for. Giotto, who was wearing one of his infamous pinstripe suits and nervous expression, apparently didn't see it.

When approaching the door, Alaude wielded a look of seriousness, wary with the burn visible under bright blue eyes. Tsuna felt his heart drop, watching as Giotto fretfully grumbled, 'hi.' In that moment Alaude grunted, and Tsuna turned pink watching Alaude smirk and kiss Giotto preciously above the forehead.

Then Hibari came to view, staring directly at him.

Did he…did he even have _eyes_? Tsuna stared, hands tightening on his foot as he pretended to watch TV. Gokudera had been a no-show at school all week, and now that it was Friday night Yamamoto would be sleeping over. His cheeks tingled again. It'd be the first time it wasn't Enma that ever slept over at his house. Well, technically Giotto's, but that wasn't the point.

Tsuna held Nuts closely in his lap, shivering to the stoic look received in return. Seriously! Did Hibari-san have eyes or _what_?

"D-Do I really need a babysitter?" Gokudera-kun managed to explode like a ticking time bomb every three seconds. The way Hibari-san just stared at him—not _leering_, not making _googly eyes_—just made him uncomfortable. And scared the crap out of him like, _a lot._

"You need a babysitter as much as I need a date," Giotto groaned. Tsuna shuddered. After four days the blond still refused to cancel, trying to make best of the situation as he could. Tsuna pitied him, Alaude said not one word and quite frankly Dino nowadays was quiet. Well. Until he fell over or something.

"Oh. Alaude's here already?"

Tsuna turned his head to the hallway, met by Dino's presence. The room dropped into dead silence, pulses suddenly racing twenty beats faster. He turned his head, confused at the sudden atmosphere change from Alaude's vehement frown to Giotto's forced ignorance.

"It's been a while since you've seen each other. Almost four years—am I mistaken?" The braver one, Giotto put his hands on his hips and gestured between the pair.

"We met." Dino's tone was clipped. Dino's tone was _never_ clipped. Suddenly the same blond broke into a small smile and his eyes shifted. "Hi, Kyouya."

A 'hn' was the only response. Yet somehow that miniscule acknowledge was all that it took for Alaude's frown to become a violent sneer and scowl. "Last week when you and the other one came."

"Oh." The lack of zealous shone clearly in Giotto's voice, followed by an uneasiness far misplaced in the pair. "Let's get going."

"Alaude," Dino raised his voice, and a small, sad smile spread across his lips. "I've missed you."

The other adult didn't move. Snowy white hair swished in place, fingers digging into the material of his sleeves before the Frenchman reached over and robbed Giotto of his lips. Tsuna, who'd been watching back and forth intently like a ping-pong match, cocked his head back to Dino. What…_wh-what was going on?_ There was no anger. Dino's smile wilted, but he himself did nothing. He…he wasn't going to do a thing about it.

Finally the chairman pulled away, icy blue eyes frigid, and yanked Giotto out the door. "Let's go."

Giotto looked at the man as if he'd just killed the world. "That _wasn't_ necessary." _SLAM._

Tsuna kept his eyes on Dino, studying every possible imperfection he could find. Worry fluttered through his chest—what was it, anyway? Obviously Alaude and Giotto had known each other for years (that went for a lot of Giotto's circle of friends), but…what did Dino have to do with it?

"Are you okay?" He couldn't help the words once they left his mouth. Rather than hanging his head in shame, Tsuna sat, Nuts still in his lap, and offered his brother an arm. Dino was…the one who smiled all the time. He bucked like a silly Disney horse, smiled like a sunflower, and managed to wreck everything in his path, but…this Dino was very distraught.

Snapping out of his trance, the blond looked up with quaint surprise, eyes narrowing to the younger brother. "Oh…yeah. Fine. How are you doing, Kyouya?"

"Let's fight, herbivore."

"Eek!" WHAT WERE THOSE? Tsuna ducked under the cushions, barely dodging a bare foot as Hibari-san leaped over the couch and a rather unmanly yelp could be heard from his brother. He looked around fearfully before finding his brother—while not _cheered up_—at the mercy of a big…_metal-thinger_-_rod_ in his chest while tried to fend the boy off.

"Y-You're babysitting, remember, Kyouya? Haha—OW!" Dino's dark complexion paled and Tsuna sat on the couch, mouth open yet speechless. The adult grabbed the first thing he saw: a bathroom towel from the supply closet—and skillfully blocked off the next one. "Wow, s-so you got the new tonfa I sent you for Christmas? Oof!"

"Sh-Should I call the police—"

"You." Eep. Hibari brusquely turned around, one _tonfa_ jabbed forward to Tsuna's face and the other clearly pressed to Dino's Adam's apple. Then out of _nowhere_ from the school blazer pocket scurried some yellow poof-ball thing before fluttering to the guy's shoulder with a tiny, fancily tied scroll. _If that wasn't obedient training, then Tsuna had no freaking clue._ The little ribbon fell and the paper descended three inches. "Do you know what this says, herbivore?"

"No?" OF COURSE NOT.

"To watch you until Takeshi Yamamoto comes." Omigod, what just glinted? WERE THOSE HIS EYES? "It does not say to let you talk, does not mention to feed you, and does not mention that you are allowed to stare me in the face. If you do anything while I watch you, I will bite you to death."

Bite him to death? BITE HIM TO DEATH? HOW DID SOMEONE WITH SOME FUZZY YELLOW MARSHMALLOW ON HIS SHOULDER LOOK SO FREAKING SCARY?

As soon as the doorbell rang Tsuna was sure he'd wet himself from fear just a little before rushing—

"No running."

_Walking—_

"No walking."

..._crawling_?

"Herbivore." Eep. Tsuna turned his head, careful not to look Hibari-san in the eye while the older teenager turned his attention to his eldest brother. Unlike him, Dino still held a smile on his face—albeit a tad nervous—but very cheerful compared to earlier with Alaude. Tsuna took note to ask Giotto about it once he got the chance. "Answer the door."

"Alrighty." Dino smiled sweetly, delivering Tsuna a sheepish look before bouncing off to the door like nothing happened. "Ooh, Hayato?"

"You fucking _bastard_ I've been knocking on your damn door for _five fucking minutes_. Why the _hell_ would you think you could keep me waiting—Dino-san!" The gasp could be heard in Gokudera's voice.

Tsuna nearly dropped the cat on his feet as the scent of cigarettes permeated through the room. He gaped, watching as Dino opened the door wider, still smiling, and watched the hilarious image of a sputtering Gokudera staring at Dino like he was in the presence of a god.

"It's fine—"

"_Herbivore._" And of course, Hibari-san had to be angry by this point! "We were in the middle of something."

"But you told me to answer the door." Immune to the teenager's daunting nature, Dino obliviously shrugged and gestured toward the apartment. "Come on in, Hayato. You know, Kyouya, you can leave now."

Eek. Tsuna flinched, watching as Hibari-san's not-eyes trail to the brunet himself, and a tonfa now pointed itself bluntly to his chest like a gun to a hostage. Well, he certainly _felt_ like one at the moment. "Under the orders of Giotto Vongola I was to wait for Takeshi Yamamoto. That is not Takeshi Yamamoto. If you expect me to condone a house party then I'll be delighted to bite you to death."

He…OH GOD HE WAS GOING TO BE BITTEN TO DEATH!

"Tenth!" Oh, and EVER SO FREAKING OBLIVIOUS, GOKUDERA HAD TO OPEN HIS BIG MOUTH.Torn between yelling, screaming, and staying quiet for his dear life to keep from being bit to death, Tsuna just…just stood there. Yeah. There was no sitting, no jumping, j-just standing. And sure enough, oblivious Gokudera held his head high with a bright smile. "How about you and I do some math homework? I could teach you asymptotes…and we can watch the best movies ever made! Rush Hours 1, 2, and 3!"

"I-I—"

"_Tsunayoshi Sawada._ Don't. Talk. And you," Hibari turned swiftly, eyes narrowing to Gokudera. "Leave. Trespassers aren't welcomed."

"Kyouya, it's okay." Dino raised his voice above the others, flashing a quick sympathetic look to his younger brother before gently gesturing to the hothead. "Hayato's a good boy, and he's a friend of Tsuna's. Giotto's not the only big brother, you know."

"Is that punk messing with you?" Gokudera's expression darkened angrily followed by a scowl. He threw a fist into the air, bright green orbs suddenly dreary, and sneered. "I'll fucking kick his ass, Tenth, if he thinks he can lay a hand on you!"

"Gokudera-kun!" NO! HE DIDN'T WANT TO BE BITTEN TO DEATH. IT WAS. THAT IS_. Oh, he was so scared…_ Realization hit and immediately Tsuna shook his head, heart sinking. "I'm…Y-Yamamoto and I are going to be hanging out tonight."

On cue, the door slowly creaked open and—_oh no._ Tsuna looked back and forth, lips tightening into a small frown as Yamamoto entered, good-natured smile spread across his features as he held up a stack of DVDs. "Tsuna! I brought some good mov—…ies."

Silence. The brunet cringed just looking between the pair and trembled as they locked eyes. For once even Dino looked perturbed and hesitantly ready to throw one of them out.

Hibari-san was the one to speak. "Hn. This crowd is too petty. I'm leaving."

"E-Er. Thank you." Tsuna looked up to the older teenager, who sneered, and as flighty as his entrance left. That was one problem out of the way.

Now faced with his second problem, the brunet looked to Yamamoto apologetically. _I didn't know he'd be here._

"What are you doing here?" Gokudera broke their silence.

Yamamoto tilted his head, "What are you?"

"I was here first."

"Tsuna and I already made plans."

"Let's—" Tsuna jumped as a hand touched his shoulder, and locked eyes with an apprehensive Dino. He struggled to smile, voice at a whisper, and gestured to the kitchen. "—give them some alone time. Shall we?"

Reluctant, he complied to his eldest brother's wishes, but the kitchen wasn't far off. The design Irie-san constructed of the penthouse meant once you entered through the door, you were in the living room. Counter space jutted into the same living room, and windows littered walls closest to the exterior. Two other hallways were meant to reach the guest room and the small dining hall, and everything else was upstairs. One fact remained the same: even if Tsuna was in the kitchen, anything Yamamoto and Gokudera said could be heard loud and clear.

"Just because you fucking made plans, baseball idiot, doesn't mean that he can't _change _them."

"Gokudera…"

A sigh was heard in the edges of Yamamoto's voice, and Tsuna suppressed a sigh once he reached the fridge. Why was it…that he seemed to be in the middle of things lately? Giotto and that Daemon guy, and _again_ with Yamamoto and Gokudera. Suddenly—

"You don't fucking _deserve_ to be his best friend, after all the shit you've put him through, so why don't you just…"

"Just what?"

"Just…just…fucking…"

"Just _kill myself_?"

—staying in Shimon didn't seem like a bad idea.

Once those two little words left Yamamoto's mouth, Dino took it upon himself to intervene. "You guys wanna order pizza?"

"What, Gokudera? Don't have a comeback to that?"

Tsuna blinked, scanning the only six-pack of beer Giotto kept in the house—originally untouched, now had a…_purple rat_? No. It was a _hedgehog._ "Um, guys?"

"You…you…"

"Gokudera, it isn't...we shouldn't put Tsuna in the middle of this, or be in his apartment—"

"_Tsuna_! Tsuna, Tsuna, Tsuna, _TSUNA. What the fuck is so special about him?_"

"Pepperoni? Cheese? What about a supreme—"

"What's so 'fucking special' about him? _How can you even say that_?"

"You know what I fucking mean! Just—_why_! Why him? Why is it that you tell him, but not me?"

"Guys?"

"Uh, should I call? Pizza Hut or Papa John's?"

"How could I tell you? Why would I tell you? It…it was a long time ago, Gokudera—could we please just not talk about it?"

"_No_! Because ever since he fucking _moved here_ all you've ever talked about is—is—"

"Guys!" Uh, wow. Tsuna felt the red rise in his cheeks, followed by the overwhelmed flush hearing his two friends argue over…him. His chest beat loudly, ears ringing and radiating with a sickening feeling watching from watching their petty argument. One arguing against—one arguing _for._ It was as if the realization had stricken, twin epiphanies and culpabilities as they hung their heads in shame. Dino, too, had gone from peacemaker and looked pissed off.

"What is it?" Gokudera's query was by far the most shocking of all. His eyes held evident compunction, struggling for control over his emotions. Tsuna didn't miss the look of surprise Yamamoto gave when the other teenager spoke.

"Um. There's a hedgehog in the refrigerator. I-I think it belongs to Hibari-san."

Silence. "You're _shitting_ me."

"H-He got into the beer! Honest!" Tsuna's cheeks blazed an unfortunate pink and he reached out, careful not to touch deathly quills, and held it up for all to see. It was the _oddest_ shade of purple Tsuna had ever seen, and it certainly wasn't helping the way it swayed back and forth, pink blush visible in its cheeks. It sounded like…

"Is that thing singing _My Girl_? Haha, that is _so cute_!" Yamamoto broke out of his heavy silence, grinning from cheek-to-cheek.

Dino placed a hand on Tsuna's shoulder and chuckled. "His name is Roll. I bought him for Kyouya maybe a year or so back. It's probably a good idea if you bring him back though. Er." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a baby bottle full of water. "Maybe sober him up before giving him back."

"You _carry_ that with you?" Giotto was horrible at driving. Lambo had a fetish for bombs. If Dino liked to carry pet items with him, Tsuna had a gnawing worry of what his oddity was.

"Of course I do, little brother." Dino offered a lopsided grin, delicately placing the bottle between Roll's lips. Unlike his master, the hedgehog immediately obliged, squealing and singing something…_really, really_ identical to the school's anthem. The blond looked up, a hint of seriousness passing through his expression before leaning much closer to Tsuna than expected. "Kyouya's probably hanging out over at the middle school. Why don't you two take him?"

It would have been funny if it was just a cartoon. Yamamoto and Gokudera shared looks of disdain, eyes intertwining with much fear and hesitation, and Tsuna knew they were afraid they'd cross the line. Again. Without even thinking, his eyes darted to the ground. When it came to Yamamoto and Gokudera, he was either who they were fighting over to talk about the other, or…or the menace. It could get annoying sometimes.

Sometimes more than dealing with everything at Shimon.

"I'll go if the Tenth is up to it."

"We…have a movie night, remember, Tsuna? There's no way I'm gonna bail on you. Not for _anything._"

"You don't…I mean…"

"We _will._" Yamamoto extended an, gentle look across his face. "And, uh, It's probably a good idea if we sober up the hedgehog first…haha."

A look of uncertainty passed through Tsuna's face. It was one thing, yes, to be worried about a strong friendship he'd meddled with, but another to be…their problem. One that both personally acknowledged _right in front of him._

"You're coming too, right?" Yamamoto's question was for Gokudera.

"…yeah."

Yippee-fucking-doo.

OoOoO

The walk to the middle school was unsurprisingly silent. Tsuna held Roll the hedgehog close to his chest, heart aching and burning a hole between his lungs. They walked at odd paces, Tsuna in the middle, Yamamoto two feet ahead, and Gokudera lagging behind. No one spoke.

Occasionally he felt eyes on his person, making the hole grow wider and gnaw at the rest of his insides. The pain was _immense_ and nerve-wracking—and neither Gokudera nor Yamamoto would say a thing. No, 'Are you okay?', no, 'I don't fucking care,' no—no arguing. Once Tsuna stopped, and both boys looked to him with worry when he squeaked.

"I-I think he pricked me," Tsuna stammered. "I-I have a band-aid, so…"

"…alright." Gokudera answered, voice close to mute.

Nothing else was said. The sun had already set, street lights gleaming like a symphony as they lit the road toward the middle school, and once arriving, Tsuna only felt himself tense. Buildings hooked together. Baseball field. Kendo club. Recreation center. Different school, _same everything._

"Haven't been here since last year, haha." Yamamoto broke the silence with a quiet chuckle, hands prodding the insides of his pockets. He turned his head, jibing Gokudera lightly in the elbow. "Remember when you got so angry at the show choir that you filled their sheet music cabinet with explosives?"

"Che. If the fucking _glee club_ wants to rape music, then they need to leave Linkin Park out of it." Gokudera scoffed, head held high. "I still can't fucking believe you stole the damn _ferret _from the other school."

"It was all in good fun!" Yamamoto grinned. Suddenly he lost his valor, replaced with curiosity and confusion. "Hm, wasn't that the same team that you hijacked all their uniforms, Gokudera? I mean…just because he punched me in the face—"

"I-I did _not_ hijack all their uniforms because they punched you in the face, you self-centered bastard!"

"Hm." The tallest teenager dissolved into laughter, and the fight diminished. No longer were they tense or wary, but full of banter and cheeriness. Even Gokudera looked as if he regained his usual fluster. "What about you, Tsuna?"

Right.

"Bullies." The word left Tsuna's lips before he had the chance to stop himself. With one ear meant for his friends and the rest of his focus on the school, he couldn't shake the memories. His complexion fell to a measly white and in the process he nearly dropped Roll on the ground.

The lockers would have dents in them from how hard he was shoved. He'd get picked from his feet ankle-first, closing his eyes and waiting until the change would litter the ground—then make sure it happened _again_ so Enma wouldn't have to go through it. Bruises. Black eyes, black forearms, bloody noses, swollen jaws and as of recently, a sprained ankle. If it wasn't one thing, it was another—and normally that was so Enma wouldn't have to go through it. And maybe, one day the plans of standing up for Enma would actually work if Enma in return didn't stand up for him.

"At my old school, I…used to get beat up a lot," he murmured. It wasn't a terribly unknown fact—_he was uncool._ Six months ago he would have laughed if someone told him he'd get a friend as golden as Yamamoto, and a snarling kitty-princess like Gokudera. "Shoved in lockers. And I'd always try to get it before Enma, did, s-so he didn't have to worry about it. He was the nerd in class and I was…just not good at anything. My nickname was No-Good Tsuna…er, sorry."He snapped out of his thoughts—the beatings, the harassment, and then having to come home and entertain Lambo—and shook his head. "I-I didn't mean to ramble so much. School just…"

School just wasn't a place he was normally welcomed.

Wait, er—why were Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto staring at him like that? He blinked, taken aback as Gokudera and Yamamoto studied him.

"You're fine." Gokudera nudged him softly in the shoulder, lips ducking into a straight line as they passed the gate toward the main building. "Let's change the subject."

"Yeah. So uh, is there a reason why you live with Giotto-niisan now?" Yamamoto smiled brightly and took up the space to Tsuna's right. "We've known each other this long and we still don't know a lot about each other, do we? My mom passed away when I was really little, so it's just Pops and me now. And…I'm sure by now you know G-san used to be married to Gokudera's sister."

"And I fucking _moved out_ because her wining like a damn she-devil when they fucked each other got _annoying._" Gokudera huffed and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Besides—have you _had_ her cooking?"

"No…not really." Tsuna struggled to smile as they began a walk in some unknown direction. Fortunately they apparently knew where they were going. "My…mother's getting married and is in Italy right now planning things. So for the time being, I'm staying with Giotto."

"So your parents are divorced and she's going through a second marriage." Yamamoto nudged him lightly in the shoulder. "Good for you."

"It'll…actually be her first."

"Her first?" Yamamoto and Gokudera halted, causing Tsuna to do the same and flash them another look of confusion. The taller teenager's eyes widened in surprise. "So…that would make you…oh."

"But Dino-san's twenty-eight and Giotto-san's turning twenty-six soon." Gokudera leaned forward, frown across his face.

"Er. They're my half-brothers. And I have a little brother, too."

"Your _half-brothers_?" Apparently his life was more interesting than Tsuna ever thought it. The same, hotheaded teenager stepped forward, eyebrow high in the air and hands to his hips. "So that would make you…the other half?"

"That's…normally what they call it, yeah. Um." Tsuna sped up his pace, air suddenly dropping thin and heat palpating his cheeks. When it came to his mother, the subject was never something he liked talking about. So he had to hurry. "Giotto and Dino both have a mother named Celeste and my dad is their dad and my mom was their nanny and soon became their mistress and then they had me but he was never around in my life but Mama still loves him so I try not to think about it much and—yeah. N-No big deal."

"Ts…Tsuna—"

"I'm going to find Hibari-san." Whirling around on one foot, Tsuna forced a smile to his face and uncomfortably managed through the halls, speeding his pace by half a step until he was sure Yamamoto and Gokudera was out of hearing range. Coming to a stop, his heart caught up to his chest, pounding from adrenaline as he pushed the thoughts away.

He was so busy with Giotto that he forgot about his mother. _Again._

The reminder of Nana's engagement to Iemitsu slapped him hard, bruising with the poisoning aftertaste of regret and unworthiness. Being with Giotto meant that in six months that he'd be living with Iemitsu and Nana _on a daily basis._ Simply being with his mother assured him that nothing bad could happen—the mistakes were over. But…Nana and Iemitsu. Nana and Iemitsu reiterated all the facts and cruel knowledge he tried to ignore for years.

And…_now_? Pressing it on Yamamoto and Gokudera when clearly they had problems that were hard to deal with?

He couldn't do that. Slipping in the shadows meant ignoring all of what Giotto advised him not too long ago—he couldn't push them away. But neither could he make them endure all his problems.

"Sorry, Roll." Tsuna looked to the hedgehog in his hands, whose cheeks were still light pink, eyes closed while it hummed _Accio Hot Guy. _"Looks like the more I try to avoid my problems, you also end up with me. Uncool, huh?"

Roll sighed blissfully and—"Ow!"_—_rolled onto his back, thus pricking Tsuna's hand for the fourth time that night.

"What are you doing at my school?"

"Eek!" Cold metal pressed against Tsuna's neck, and he jumped, finding his back against the wall with—oh, look. Hibari-san did have eyes—WHY WAS DINO-SAN RUBBING OFF ON HIM _NOW_? "I brought your hedgehog, I brought your hedgehog!"

Now that Hibari's eyes were clear, he only seemed _scarier._ Those same slits narrowed, scowl spread across his lips, and he acknowledged the purple drunken animal in Tsuna's grasp. Luckily Roll squealed, drunkenly scurrying to Tsuna's shoulder before jumping into a mesh of brown hair, ultimately on eyelevel with the other teenager. "He's drunk."

"H-He…g-got into Giotto's beer." Tsuna trembled, only one thought running through his head: _please don't shove me in a locker please don't shove me in a locker please don't shove me in a locker—_

"You're trespassing at my school. I should bite you to death—" _Eek!_ "But I won't. Consider this your one and only favor, herbivore."

And with that, Hibari-san's bodyweight lifted from Tsuna's, leaving cold darkness that lingered through the halls. He swiped Roll with little trouble, sight grim when pressed to a trembling Tsuna, then pulled away. "W-Wait!"

Hibari halted.

"What…" Tsuna pressed off the walls. "What was that, earlier today? Alaude-san and my brothers…what was going on?"

"Hn." A wry chuckle hid itself under the older teen's laugh. Dry humor aside, he turned around, arms crossed and tonfa hidden. "You really don't know?"

"N…No." But he knew the way Dino looked at Alaude was no coincidence, and held Giotto's relationship with Alaude on a higher precedence. Tsuna wiped sweaty palms against the denim of his jeans and dared stare Hibari in the eye. Yamamoto had a point in everything he said—although they'd known each other for months, very few things were out in the open. Who…was Daemon Spade? What was Cozart to everyone? What did Alaude mean to Dino and vice versa? "Not really."

"Consider yourself lucky."

"But—"

Hibari turned a heel, sparing no other glance to the shorter boy, and treaded down the hall until Tsuna was left alone with no other companion. Just another way for him to be left out of the loop. heaving a sigh, Tsuna looked to his surroundings, edgy, without the slightest clue where he was.

He could hear metal slamming. Kids laughing, bullies cackling, and any corner he turned was soon meant by a punch in the face. Less than a year ago when he was in his third year of middle school and at the bottom end of the social ladder. No one liked him, no one wanted him. Some probably wished he was never born.

Skipping a beat, Tsuna sped forward with his pace, shaking off the haunting feeling the middle school and Adelheid's liquidation committee gave. He wasn't _in_ Shimon anymore. He didn't have to hide in fear, and he didn't have to deal with being the laughing stop. In Namimori...everything was just right. Well. Almost everything—

"So I figured something out."

At the trophy case he caught every word uttered just around the corner. It was Yamamoto's voice. Tsuna stopped well behind the first instant of glass, taken by surprise. From the looks of it, Yamamoto and Gokudera hadn't gone after him after his little…tirade. Good.

"Yes?"

"You and I are basically Tsuna's parents."

"The _hell_?"

"No, seriously." A chuckle was heard through Yamamoto's voice. Tsuna nearly fell over from the usual idiocy, balance lost, and struggled to maintain himself. Leave it to Yamamoto to make a metaphor out of something silly. "Come on, admit it: you like him. You tried so hard being angry with him, but now all you can do is follow him around and make sure he's alright. In your _own little way_, you like him, Gokudera."

"…so what of it?" Obviously Gokudera was crossing his arms.

"We keep putting him in the middle. Tsuna isn't just _some new kid _anymore, I would seriously spend the rest of my life trying to make sure that kid is okay. And _so would you_ in your own little way." And Yamamoto would cross his arms too, only looking more mature than his companion. "But we're arguing like parents and putting our _son_ in the middle. Gokudera, you know I cherish our friendship more than anything else in the world, but our _son_ can't choose. You know his background. You _have_ his background. Tsuna's had a lot to deal with, and we can't plague him with our problems."

"…alright then. Let's talk." Gokudera's voice turned tense. Tsuna shifted between his feet, imagining the hotheaded teenager probably stood three inches higher, eyes locked to Yamamoto's, and ready to fend his point. "The Tenth has nothing to do with us because the problem originates between you and me. _No Tenth involved._"

"Okay." Yamamoto was unsettled. Where Gokudera stormed through every decision, Yamamoto treaded like rain, patient one moment and a typhoon the next. "I…I thought we were good a long time ago, Gokudera. When I came over to your apartment, and we just…talked."

"Haru and I broke up."

"I know."

"Then why don't you care more for it?" Gokudera's voice rose. "Why aren't you _all fucking over me_, lavishing me with any gifts or trying to pursue me like you tried _before_? I—I _broke up with her_ and you haven't made a move!"

"Because I'm with—"

"I know you! Fuck—Yamamoto, _I know you._ You've been my best friend for _eight fucking years_ and in that time you've fallen in love with me and _can't get yourself out_ of it. You…you always _smile_ when you're always around me, and you tell me _everything_, and when I can't tell you something, all you have to do is fucking _patiently wait_ and then I come running—don't you see? You get _everything you want_ and I'm just fucking _wrapped around your finger_." Something fell. A curt crash to the ground caused a curse to leave Gokudera's mouth.

"You think I know you inside out?"

"I _know_ you know me inside and out. You—I'm not like you, Yamamoto. I don't risk things I treasure because that means I'd be _risking_ a _treasure._ _You_ fell for _me_, and you knew that…that I'd _accept _you sooner or later after I stopped being such a stubborn fucking ass, and you knew that…that I'd—"

"That you'd what?"

"That we'd get through all of it. That there would be no fucking problems because our…friendship would get through all of it."

"Yet here we are now."

"Yeah. Here we are now."

"Do you love me?" Silence. At least a full minute must have passed as the question hung thick through tense air. Yamamoto's voice remained heavy, along with the sprinkles of curiosity in his tone. There was hope. Hope, joy, quiet wonder, curiosity, brusque demand, fury-defying patience—_everything._ Anything that was the epitome of Yamamoto. When he didn't get an answer, Yamamoto changed his tone and a shift of movement filled Tsuna's ears. "You don't have to."

"But I—"

"'But'? Of course there's always a 'but' with you, huh?" The taller teenager laughed softly and shook his head. "Gokudera, what I'm looking for with you is a _relationship._ If we were to get together, I wouldn't be able to control myself. You don't have to _bend_ yourself for _me._ So we're just friends? You have _no idea_ how much that that thought makes me happy right now. You and I…we haven't been friends in a long time."

Silence.

"Come on. Let's just go find Tsuna."

Tsuna pulled away.

Backing off the wall, he slowly made a halfhearted escape through the halls with a spinning head and tingling fingers. Numb. He felt incredibly numb. Fingers graced the edge of his cell phone as he made it to the quiet outside and plopped onto the stairway. Sooner or later, Tsuna thought as he began a text, Gokudera and Yamamoto would find him. It just wasn't his moment to pry.

Maybe a minute later the phone started ringing. "Hello?"

"_Got your text."_ Enma's voice reigned through, less scratchy than the last time he'd spoken. His voice was improving a lot lately. _"'Glad we're friends'? What's wrong?" _

Everything. "Nothing. Just…" He looked to the moon, feeling worlds apart from everyone. Yamamoto and Gokudera had their issues, Dino made him ignore his own, Giotto was out on a date with Alaude. Everyone had their own little world with different priorities. "Just felt like hearing a familiar voice. One that makes me remember who I am."

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

This chapter jumps all over the place, so I'm not too happy about it. But at the same time, it's just kinda the last in the arc of "what's gonna happen until the court date" chapters. Yup. That's right. G and Enma are going to be in the next chapter (and debatably, Dino's gonna leave), and then the chapter after that…you guys will love it. I do know you will. xD As for Gokudera and Yamamoto…it's past the point Tsuna's perspective can fix. I've been avoiding that for a while now. You'll see in maybe three or four chapters why.

_About Gokudera: _

This actually got a giggle out of me. There are a couple who complain that he's out of character, then a lot of others who say he's completely in character and you can imagine him doing this. Why is he out of character? Because he's not nice to Tsuna. To remember the two dynamics that I took out of that: Tsuna first saved Gokudera's life, thus resulting in odd companionship, and Yamamoto in Gokudera's point of view was a tagalong. In the story, Yamamoto and Gokudera have been best friends since they were eight years old and the way Gokudera saw Yamamoto as a threat to his friendship with the 'Tenth', he starts out seeing the 'Tenth' as a threat to his friendship with Yamamoto. I kinda…know he's not in his right of mind when he's in this story; that's kind of the point. He's a fun character to write in that essence coz I kinda drained all the silliness out for a moment.

Now, other people say he's still being a jerk and that he's still in denial. Actually, that was him…already knowing he's in love with Yamamoto. xD This one took me by surprise when people say, "WHY CAN'T HE ADMIT IT JUST YET?" The kiss, anyone? He even admitted to Tsuna that there may be feelings for Yamamoto, he's just at the point where he's thinking, _Okay, so I'm in love with my best friend. What do I do now?_ And handling it like a Gokudera would. I'll have to touch on that when writing in his POV, but he's kinda taking background for a bit.

_About Enma: _

The next chapter will most likely skim over the court hearing. It's not that I can't write it, but I'm not sure I really want to. Quite honestly I find them pretty uninteresting to read and there's not a way to put a stick in my butt, make it sound professional, and also make it scream _Zeraphie wrote this._ The chapters have actually been to entertain the people who don't care much for Enma—but you have to remember, I mentioned way early that he'd play an important role in the story. Most of Tsuna's life goes about protecting a _friend_, who just happens to be Enma. We're almost over that hedge, and trust me—we move on _fast._ Next couple chapters will be fun. C:

Reviews would be nice! Gosh, I miss G.


	27. Enma and G

**chapter twenty-seven has **Enma and G.

"From this day forward, Emilio Mariano Nathaniel Shimon shall henceforth live under the roof of Gaspare Tempesta, who is to provide him with all the basic necessities of food, a stable home, and an education. Come the time that young Emilio enters adulthood, he is free to live his life however he wants. Court dismissed."

Freedom.

Sweetness never had such a concentrated taste of victory before that day, with the thickness of a solid block and a mass greater than a mole of cotton candy. It'd been a word known in two separate forms to the young redhead, and something he hoped his brother would bring him so many times since those eleven years ago when they parted ways.

But his brother was dead. Roberto Cozart Gabriel Shimon II was dead, the foster family he lived with was more of a corporate business _babysitting job_, and he couldn't even remember what the real face of Roberto Shimon I looked like.

Enma stared at the judge—the one who had just told him he was _free_ to live his life. An empty crevasse lavished his mouth, supplied with salty saliva as the rest of him trembled, the concept of liberation seeming practically _impossible._

He was almost far, gone in his thoughts had it not been for the firm grip of G's hand rolling into his shoulder with an overzealous look of relief. Scarlet eyes turned their way to the man who came in pairs with Tsuna's big brother—and all _three_, when G, Giotto, and even his brother were best friends.

"For a moment I didn't think I'd be able to get you." G's voice dropped in volume, gentle as a spring breeze as he pushed unfurled locks of his mop-hair, and a look of scrutiny passed through his eyes. The brightest pigment of red managed to flutter across the teenager's face; an action that often went unnoticed by the adult. _How_? "I'm gonna…talk things over with the judge—see what I've got to do, alright?" Much gentler, those serene red orbs fluttered with concern. "You alright, kid?"

"…stunned," Enma mumbled. Even after a week with his voice back, Enma felt as if he'd used all excuses in the book and shunned the poor adult away. He felt ashamed, knowing his big brother wouldn't approve if he shut out the world. It had been a topic they'd talked about often because of their father, but he was only _five years old._ So many thoughts ran through his mind—from the Shimon Family to ending up in Shimon, the _town_, and…meeting Tsuna. Meeting everyone.

Tsuna had left their little civilization and returned with an entirely new world. One he wasn't familiar with.

G nodded slowly, pulling away with much reluctance to speak to the judge along with child services. It was a silent, _unintentional_ understanding between them, where the adult had it in his mind Enma still wanted nothing to do with him. That was wrong. To be back in a world where his best friend reigned—with friends who didn't have him scared, and a brother who was sweet and loving—Enma wanted G more than the world.

In the two weeks they'd gotten to know each other, he'd never seen an adult fumble or react in such a way none of the others in his life would. G tried hard to keep his attention, and tried twice as hard to befriend him. It led to a lot on Enma's mind.

He wasn't Tsuna.

In so many ways the similarities were there, but throughout the years and core knowledge, Enma knew that he and his best friend were clearly two different people. He thought before silently leaping, and Tsuna tended to lunge head first when processing only half the thought. G seemed to understand that, patiently waiting for any answer without second guessing or horrid questioning, and had even volunteered to expand his knowledge on Italian. There was _nothing_ _more_ in the world Enma wanted more than to know the language of his origins.

Turning his attention, Enma's eyes crept across the room, and very grimly (though not surprisingly) Zakuro-papa and Kikyo-mama stared back, faces firm. There was no outburst, no scowl, or any physical sign that they would suddenly grow violent.

Nothing.

All of his foster-siblings remained at home for the time being, and the crowd involved with his case was small.

"Enma!" Tsuna.

Enma turned his head down the aisle as his best friend whirled through the doors, eyes wider than they'd ever been with Giotto on his trail. Before the redhead had a chance to say anything, Tsuna's arms flung around his neck—a tight, _death grip_ and he held the desk before he had the chance to fall over. He'd always been smaller than the brunet, so it came as no surprise, but he finally hugged back. "Hi."

"Hi." Cheeks abashed, the brunet turned away with a crooked, timid smile (he loved that about Tsuna. He loved the sincerity glowing through Tsuna's face, followed by the humbleness that made him a better man) before his lips curled into worry. "So…what happened? How was the case?"

The redhead raised his gaze, meeting eyes with Giotto for the first time since the hospital, followed by a much taller blond that was directly behind him. Tsuna noticed.

"That's Dino. My other brother." The other teen turned a fervent pink, gesturing to the pair as they gave a greeting's salute, and his face twisted with a small smile. "I…I almost didn't recognize you. If it wasn't for that Band-Aid on your nose and all."

Matching the other boy, Enma's cheeks stained the same red of his hair, and he shrugged. "We won the case."

"You won the case," Tsuna repeated. It was a charmingly laughable sight, watching all of the little gears spin like clockwork in his best friend's face. An irrevocable grin of relief spread across those lips, and he actually seemed giddy. "S-So you get to come with us?"

Enma nodded. His head still felt fuzzy from the news, along with waking up early that Friday morning to speak with Child Services. November's crisply cold weather stung at the tips of his fingers, and his new scarf…a _gift_ from whom, he realized, was his new _guardian_, tangled about his cardigan and any other _neat_ clothes he had to put on for the "occasion."

"Did you really have a doubt, little brother?" Giotto's voice teemed with a casualness G wouldn't have known he and his best friend both shared. Their tone of voice; the way they spoke—there was a similarity and livelihood, even if one friend was strict to the other's casualty.

The latest older brother to Tsuna's family smiled, leaning into the other blond goofily before extending a hand. "You're under good hands when it comes to G. But uh, are you two dating?"

Enma shook his head just as the brunet offered a sheepish and flustered smile. Tsuna's natural talent involved his bashfulness, after all. He took his best friend by the hand, fingers tangling together, and felt Tsuna squeeze in return.

"We're just friends." Tsuna smiled softly before they all turned their attention toward G, who finally seemed to be finishing up his conversation with Julie from Child Custody, and another G had hired as their lawyer. Someone named Alaude.

Light red eyes followed to Enma's form, locking firmly, and reluctantly did the adult's lips contort into a smile. The trio parted ways briefly before taking the proper steps toward Enma. Realizing he hadn't moved, Enma nudged Tsuna in the arm lightly and scooted closer to…well. He looked to Dino and Giotto from the corner of his eye. _To his new family._

"You heard everything the judge said." Alaude spoke curtly, pushing what appeared to be reading glasses on his face as he looked at what appeared to be a manila folder. "G is now in charge of your wellbeing, your health, education, and any other absolute necessity. All that's left is to pick your transcript from the school and enroll you into Namimori first thing when we get back home. You want me to do that myself, Boss?"

Julie erupted in a tight fit of giggles. Eyes darting to his Social Services agent, Enma looked at the man who couldn't have been more than in his late twenties. He flashed a tiny smile, mouthing a quiet thank you, and taking what would probably be the last look at his agent. Julie Katou: a man who wore flashy clothes, loved women and wore the gaudiest coke-bottle glasses Enma had ever lain eyes upon.

There were moments Enma doubted Julie knew what he was doing—and often was he proven wrong. Julie may have been odd, but he certainly knew how to do his job—otherwise without the combined forces of both Julie and Alaude he'd never end up living with G. Though, since the man dyed his hair that heinous color of a clowny orange, Enma yet again couldn't take him seriously.

"I guess this is our parting then, isn't it?" Julie raised his voice, then as any time he'd ever met with the adult, his agent pecked a rosy kiss to his hair before his departure. "Seeing as you're set with Tempesta, our job is done~" As Julie directed his attention elsewhere, Enma felt Tsuna's hand tighten against his own. "Ooh. I remember you."

"Er." Tsuna shifted, something he always did when he was incredibly uncomfortable. From the corner of his eye, Enma could see mortified heat rushing to the brunet's face. "Ditto."

"Take care of the kid for me." His agent raised his voice with good nature, hand patting G on the back, before turning his head. For the last few minutes before his departure, they watched the same newfound redhead scrutinize all that was to be Giotto Vongola. Giotto in turn was no close to phasing than either his brother or pointing out any of Julie's oddities. He did, however, scoot closer to Tsuna's side without word. "You're a very pretty man."

"…So I get a lot." Giotto tilted his head wondrously, and from the side Enma felt Tsuna jerk, concerned.

"We should get dinner."

"We shouldn't." The blond's voice shifted briefly, and Enma took notice as Tsuna fell into Giotto as naturally as Giotto fell into _him._ They hadn't been this close the last few times Enma'd seen them. _Right_? "I'm seeing the lawyer."

For a long, stern moment, no one said a thing. Julie, bored and somewhat drunken expression radiating from his features, laughed and shook his head majestically. "How anticlimactic. I'll see you later then, Giotto Vongola, no?~" One last kiss to Enma's head and the strange man was off.

They stood still in silence, the small crowd who had come to witness the trial having dispersed. Breaking into motion, Enma let go of Tsuna's hand for a brief moment to collect the paperwork and suitcases brought that'd been taken along with them. G followed mutely, no word passed while either redhead flittered and scooped things up.

From the corner of his eye, Enma saw Tsuna turn his head between the trio of adults, and it _was_ an interesting sight. If Giotto was indeed involved with the lawyer as they said, Dino didn't look like a happy man. Alaude seemed apathetic, but a familiar stress and creases between Giotto's brow, caught in the middle of their mess. Finally, the brunet gave up between them all (Enma hid a smile, noting that Tsuna was in the middle of another growth spurt) and helped gathered everything.

"What time is your flight?" Alaude was the first to speak.

Dino seemed stunned. "At…nine this evening. I'll be taking the plane overnight."

"G-san?" Tsuna's voice was soft and timid as ever, barely audible. Ironic, since _Enma_ had been the one to get the surgery on his vocal cords.

Like the rest of the day had been going, Enma waited, eyes falling to many strips of paper while G looked up, acknowledging his best friend's little brother, and smiled. "Long time, no see huh, kid?"

Tsuna was a hugger. It wasn't a surprise to Enma as it was to the adult redhead when Tsuna swooped through and wrapped his arms around G. The same adult looked to Enma, puzzled and taken aback, but said nothing. Red fluttered to the teenager's face, matching the darkest hues of his red hair as he stacked papers and grabbed the scarf the man was so fond of.

"Um." Predictably, the brunet pulled away with sheepish pink spreading across his face. He smiled embarrassedly and nudged Enma gently in the arm. "That was…thank you. For taking care of Enma."

"Pleasure was mine." Enma almost laughed listening to G's tone drop an octave. He himself had endured his new guardian's soft side, running around and worrying about the teenager's wellbeing. The G here and now, however, retained a nurture Enma'd only seen when the man was taking care of Tsuna. "He's…interesting."

And quiet. Really quiet. Fingers lacing around Tsuna's once more, he stood at the tip of his toes and wordlessly wrapped the scarf around G's neck. He wrapped it delicately, eyes glued to the wool of the soft material, and smoothed it against the adult's chest. G hadn't said a thing, but Enma knew he was being watched.

Finally, he yanked at Tsuna's hand, quick to wipe a sweaty palm and gestured toward the exit. "…we should go."

"There's a lot that needs to be done, isn't there?" Tsuna smiled tentatively and leaned into the shorter boy. Huh. Enma was shorter than his best friend now. "Gathering up your things, getting your transcript. Have…you talked to anyone recently? Longchamp? Fran-san?"

Enma shook his head. G had been going back and forth to get his schoolwork, but apparently he'd been excused until custody was settled. The first week with G focused on checkups to get rid of that God-forsaken pneumonia, then being prepped for surgery. The second week, on the other hand, he caught up and turned in all his homework, took medicine, and was taken out on 'bonding' attempts with G. He turned his attention as a hand squeezed his shoulder and flashed a look of confusion.

"So far the plan is to get something to eat and check these guys into a hotel." G gestured to the back where certainly Alaude and Giotto staggered behind. Oddly enough Dino seemed nowhere in sight, yet no one questioned why. "You've got your last appointment with Doctor Nowaki tomorrow, and we'll see where to go from there."

Enma nodded, red swelling in his cheeks as he leaned into Tsuna to the point neither one felt comfortable. He could hear Tsuna nervously laughing in the corner of his ear, and it only made him more nervous.

"Gaspare, you're scaring the kid." More daring than either one, Giotto offered a primp chuckle.

The redhead stared at the ground, face simply darkening from embarrassment and shame. He felt Tsuna nudge him sympathetically in the arm, he, too, probably laughing at the current situation. Instead he quickened their pace down the hall so they were out of earshot of the adults. "How was living with your brother?"

"How was living with G-san?" Tsuna arched an eyebrow of both worry and interest. Enma felt the last heat from his toes raise to his cheeks and nonchalantly shrugged. "Giotto's been going out on dates with Alaude-san. Er, real dates."

"You don't seem happy about it." None whatsoever. His best friend's brow curved until the small crinkles could be seen in the middle, and the boy attempted a shrug. When Tsuna turned, Enma did the same. He hadn't the slightest idea where they were going.

Tsuna's entire demeanor shifted into apparent trouble, teeth biting against his lips as an exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "I'm really happy that you're moving to Namimori with us. With me_._"

"But?"

"But it can be a bit of a soap opera going through things." Immediately the brunet glowed a sheepish pink and hilariously blanched at the same time. "I'm in between dealing with a friend who's in love with his straight same-gendered best friend only not-really-straight, I-I've got a date with a _girl_ a-and don't know how to tell her I'm not straight, Giotto and Alaude are trying to put a label on their relationship, but it makes Dino really unhappy and…then there's you."

"Then there's me," Enma repeated softly. He shrugged nonchalantly and analyzed his own background. Tsuna and he had been best friends since they were six after his big brother unwillingly walked out on him, then said brother died of leukemia, which could possibly transfer to the anemic Enma, who contracted pneumonia and was in the middle of regaining his voice. Not only that, but in some twist of fate, Giotto and G were best friends with big brother Cozart. "Yeah. Your life's sort of soap opera-y."

"It's nice," Tsuna confessed softly. Suddenly realizing his own words, he stood three inches taller in his skin and shook his head. "N-Not the whole soap opera thing, b-but…living with Giotto is nice."

"You're smiling now."

"Am I?" Oddly enough this hue of red was different from the others the brunet normally sported. Enma made note to study the change in his best friend's behavior later. Tsuna shrugged, tentatively smiling again before it became fuller, and more relaxed. "I…I am."

"He's come a long way then, hasn't he?" They finally arrived at a pair of glass doors, where people exited and entered. A yellow taxi rested on the road, but considering there were now _five_ in their group he had a feeling they'd need another taxi. Enma brought his focus at hand, thoughts involving Giotto's known behavior. Self-sufficient. Charming. Delicate. Sometimes through that charm, it seemed like Giotto flirted with every person in _sight_, but now with Tsuna there was a mutual difference between the both of them. Tsuna was not timid, and anytime the brunet spoke, Giotto was first to listen.

Granted, it'd only been twenty minutes since Tsuna came running through double doors and nearly tackling him to the ground, but that was beside the point. The moment Tsuna spoke of his brother, his voice didn't jump three octaves higher, and he wasn't looking for a constant approval that Tsuna often did with other people. Honestly, Enma confessed to himself, they barely acted like brothers. Giotto was treating Tsuna as an _equal_ than a little brother.

Getting tired of standing up, Enma caught glimpse of the flight of stairs descending toward the streets of Shimon. He sat, pulling his best friend along with him, and waited for an explanation. It was raining. People scurried hurry and about, trying not to fall victim to the mild shower, but Enma couldn't have cared less.

He loved it when it stormed.

On the other hand, Tsuna nearly jumped over him when thunder clapped, eyes widening four times their usual size. Enma bit back a smile. His best friend's acrophobia just didn't make sense even though Tsuna loved stargazing and cloud watching. Enma himself loved to stay close to the earth—_grounded_—but even he had a deep attachment to skylight.

"…you called me last week, saying you needed to 'remember who you were.'" The redhead nudged his best friend lightly, eyes mesmerized as the storm danced. Obviously it meant Tsuna was in some sort of trouble, but right after the little confession, they sat for ten minutes without saying a word. "And after that, Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun came to pick you up."

"Oh." The other teenager's expression dropped softly and he leaned back against the stairs before picking at the loose ends of his jeans. "I didn't…want to make you worry."

"Well, you did." Enma avoided sugarcoating the truth. "I worry about you as much as you worry about me, you know."

"You don't have to."

"Then you don't have to worry about _me_." Knowing he won the argument with only half an attempt, Enma hunched over, chest against his knees as he took the declaration to heart. "I know you. You spent your entire life worrying about _me_ to distract yourself from worrying about your brother. Then suddenly, Nana makes you move in with someone who thought of you as the bane of his existence, and takes you away from all of this. I was angry at them. I thought…I thought I'd never like the Vongolas, and they were _our_ enemy, but here—_now…_I feel like I'm talking to an entirely different person who's trying to return to the past."

"But the past—"

"The past _sucks_, Tsuna." Enma looked at his best friend, shrugging lightly. His voice was beginning to hurt again, strained from sudden overuse, and he nudged the other boy lightly in the arm. "And it's a good reason that it sucks, because now…now the way you look at your big brother. It's different."

Surprisingly Tsuna darkened to an inelegant hue of red, from collar bone to his hairline as Enma casually pretended not to notice. After a pregnant pause, he lowered his head and his fluster slowly began to fade. "He's…most of the time I have to remind myself that he's my brother. That he's in the same category as Dino. That he's…"

"He's what?"

"I found some locked folders on my phone." Like stepping stones, Tsuna pushed away from the conversation and took out his phone from his wallet. He looked to the other teenager gently, and at that moment Enma chose better to frown than bring another point across. He learned _years ago_ that a puppy face worked far better than any spoken words. Something about being cute or whatever. "They're of Cozart-san."

That was enough for Enma to forget all about his best friend's problems. Taken aback, he stared at Tsuna with much surprise and hesitantly looked to the phone. Tsuna brought it closer until their knees were touching and went through photos.

"He didn't have any photos of Cozart hung up the last time I visited," Enma commented quietly.

"There are…at least five photo albums I know of that are full of your brother." Tsuna's voice turned quietly distant and he pressed the lower button on his iPhone. "Giotto says that he'd rather preserve them in a photo album than risk endangering them on the wall. But…h-he has a lot. And a lot of other photos are just on this phone. This used to be his personal one."

"Your brother's really rich."

"Both of them." Tsuna's expression morphed differently, nose scrunching before he regained his expression.

Finally the screen loaded, and in Italian scripture, Enma easily made out the letters that spelt out, **C-O-Z-A-R-T.** His breath hitched, and even by a red-blobbed thumbnail he knew it was his brother. Taking the initiative, he selected the album, and the first picture hilariously enough seemed to be Giotto and Cozart's faces meshed together while trying to figure out the phone. His brother looked…ethereal. Rusted red, unruly hair, maroon and delicate eyes—and his hat. Cozart loved to wear hats.

The next picture produced a iggle in the back of Enma's throat. Cozart sat on some desk with the Vongola emblem (bullet and all) pressed proudly to the desk. He wore a weary smile and G stood parallel to him, eyes twice their size and mouth agape. There wasn't a tattoo.

"When do you think he got the tattoo?" Tsuna looked to him curiously.

Enma shrugged. Judging by the village scenery and the fact they were hanging out in what appeared to be an office, it was long ago. Not long enough though. "Probably after my brother died."

"They look young in some of these pictures," Tsuna commented quietly after they surfed through the first dozen. He smiled quaintly, pink teeming through his cheeks. "Hard to believe that this is what they looked like when they were our age."

"You and Giotto look a lot alike. But he still needs to cut his bangs." Enma shrugged as he looked to a different picture obviously taken during Christmas. Giotto had kissed Cozart on the cheek under the mistletoe, looking no more than sixteen or seventeen, and the redhead in return apparently didn't expect it. A quiet sadness rested in his brother's eyes, and the next picture—_taken right after the kiss_—although a small inch of his lip creased upward, Cozart had pulled his hat over his eyes. "He looks shorter than you in these pictures."

"Is that a good thing?" His best friend smiled gently. "You and Cozart-san could be twins."

"…thanks." He felt the red tingle in his cheeks, pride glowing in his chest. Cozart's hair seemed to be half an inch shorter, but Tsuna was right. They had the same, fuzzy red hair and odd red eyes. The next picture, he blinked and did double take.

"I think…" Tsuna tilted his head. "I'm pretty sure that's your baby sister playing with turtles."

_Mami?_ In a picture of a little girl looking no older than two, her pudgy hands rested on two turtles stacked upon each other and looking incredibly confused and disconcerted. Enma wouldn't blame them, he snorted. Though tiny herself, Mariana-Emilia looked like a naïve little girl who was oblivious to the destruction being caused. Wordlessly, Enma ran his finger across the screen and another string of pictures were to be seen. Plenty were of a smiling Cozart with a G that looked like he'd just been one-upped (proving Giotto probably took the pictures), and others included pictures of little kisses and small gestures of affection between their brothers.

"Do you…think we look like that?" Tsuna paled worrisomely as they came across another picture of Cozart with his hands wrapped around Giotto's form.

"I think we look worse." Enma shed a quiet giggle and shook his head, much to the dismay of the brunet. Flipping the screen to the different ages Cozart, Giotto, and G seemed to share, there were more pictures (some, oddly enough, of just the turtles again. One even had them, what appeared to be an incubator full of chicken eggs, and a reflection of a horrified G stomping toward the cameraman—Giotto) and pictures of Cozart with less flesh to his skin. Bags were under Cozart's eyes, clumps of hair missing or thinning, and he looked like a frail little doll in his hospital bed.

You didn't need a genius to realize these were the last few years of Cozart Shimon's life.

Heart skipping a painful beat, Enma flicked the screen, and the flash of both pink and red hair let them know it was another picture of Cozart and G. _Kissing._

He caught his breath, chest tightening in the process where, sure enough his older brother, frail and tiny, sat up in his deathbed. The cot dipped softly—_tenderly_, even—and one G. Tempesta leaned into the smaller man in what appeared to be a gentle and chaste kiss.

"_There_ you two are. Figured you two snuck off for some makeup sex or something."

From the corner of his peripheral, Enma met Tsuna's gaze, ears turning a mutual shade of red. Still, Dino seemed to be missing from their group, but a lighthearted smile glowed on Giotto's face. He leaned casually, _intimately_ into Alaude, and the taller man didn't seem to care. G ran a hand through his hair, sigh escaping his lips and he shrugged. "Do you have anything important to get from your Foster Home?"

Enma shook his head, eyes narrowing to the delicate tattoo that ran down the side of G's face. He'd always noticed the detailed curves and intricate weaving of red, but…now they sort or made him think of willowy branches of a bonsai tree. "Were you in love with my brother?"

Well. That left his mouth earlier than planned. G blinked, obviously repeating the question to himself, while Giotto nearly fell over had Alaude not been as stable as a brick wall. "Uh."

That was all the answer Enma really needed. Luckily Dino tripped down the flight of stairs, a little dog attached securely to his leg as he fell to the bottom.

OoOoO

"I take it I don't need to ask how that date of yours went?" Of all the one-worded conversations he had with the teenager, Enma had to choose _that_ sentence as one of the rare anomalies where he spoke. G sat parallel to his best friend, still trying to maintain the wee ounce of sanity he had left after Giotto's mischievous grins and annoyingly witty attitude. They sat in the taxi, one of the two they called in order to get to the small Chinese restaurant downtown.

Dino sat in the front seat, going through documents G assumed was for Cavallone Industries. He didn't miss the pause in the elder adult's movements before he resumed most hesitantly with his work. Immediately, Giotto started with another laugh and shook his head casually.

"Worst. Date. _Ever._"

"_Really._" Granted it was a drunken experience (an explanation G would have rather never heard) that led to their so-called "_relationship_," but few mentions other than the normal sexcapades made a business-like Giotto falter with an admittedly light blush. Even Alaude would glare if G found a vantage point and poked a timid spot in their relationship.

"We argued, messed around, and I spent the entire evening trying to put a smile on Mr. Grumpy's face because of…_unmentionable circumstances._" Giotto's eyes darted to the silent blond upfront, eyebrows lowering tenderly, then crossed his arms. He shook his head. "I was scared of what I'd do if he made a move, and he was scared to make a move. We must have bumped our noses six times before ending the night with a kiss."

"So you didn't have sex?"

"I'd prefer holding hands with Tsuna over sex at this point in my life." Giotto sighed, cheerful as ever, so G left the conversation to that. _Good._

He looked to his best friend, knowing he'd been worried sick how the blond would act if he wasn't taken care of. The minute Giotto and Tsuna got onto the train in departure for Namimori, he whipped out a phone and called Dino. The first couple of late night and midday calls, he had his doubts because of the blatant uncertainty visible in Giotto's voice—then it changed. G originally meant for Dino to come and watch his little brothers. Ironically, on the other hand, _Giotto_ was the one watching _Dino_, and now the consequences involved the apparent mutilation of the redhead's desk—_among other things._

But Giotto's personality had done a complete 180-flip through two weeks. He wasn't his old self. Giotto wasn't the man who hated his little brother and swore business over passion—and he wasn't the man who struggled to love his friends dearly and try hard not to push them away. Dino may have come to watch Giotto, but…G looked forward to the taxi blurred by raindrops in front of them. Was it Tsuna who changed him so much? Who changed him for the better?

It only made him smile. Most likely.

"So then, how are you and Little Bite-Size?"

G rolled his eyes. "Why do you call him that?"

"Originally it was because you two had red hair, red eyes, and it was funny watching both of you next to each other. Now," Giotto's expression softened and he pulled out his phone. "I think you know why I call him 'Little Bite-Size.'"

"Yeah." His answer was flat and beyond quiet. G looked down to what undoubtedly was Giotto's new background. A simple picture of all three of them together during their graduation from high school. He ran a hand through his hair and opted to look away and out the window.

"You were in love with his brother and fell for him. _Hard._" Giotto leaned into his best friend, and amazingly hadn't squirmed. Whatever happened over the duration of the two weeks must have gotten him over the fear of physical intimacy. A small part, at least, if he still wouldn't put out for the cranky Frenchman.

"I was also married and by the time I realized I was in love with him, Cozart was down to his final years and giving into the cancer." G narrowed his eyes. It'd been a touchy subject neither mentioned since finding out Enma's background. Every year they visited Sicily to put flowers on Cozart's grave, then remind each other of stories. This year, before the death of Cozart himself, they got his _brother._ How was he supposed to feel about a kid who seemed like a ghost from the past?

Only not as enthusiastic?

"You were in love with him."

"I know."

"_You were in love with him._"

"_I know._"

"You, giant pink-and-red M&M cookie, were _in love with the little Bite Size's—_"

"_I get it!_" G hastily glared at his best friend, vehemence scraping at his nerves into a scowl so threatening most would cower and urinate in his presence. Giotto, on the other hand, remained unaffected, and instead frowned.

"Don't treat him like Cozart." Plain and simple. Nodding his head curtly, Giotto turned his head back to his side of the car, and the back of G's throat felt empty. "Can you imagine it? _That kid is the legitimate heir to the Shimon Fortune_, G. He's got the ring, and the minute he enters Roberto Shimon's office, his entire life could change for the better—or for worse. You said yourself that he probably didn't need to go back to school because he has a genius-level intellect. What are you going to do with it?"

"'What am I going to do with it'?" The redhead arched an eyebrow, full attention now on his best friend. "You expect me to make a profit out of the kid?"

"Of course not." Giotto turned his head, eyes narrowing. "How are his math grades?"

"For _business_?"

"That, and to tutor Tsuna so I don't have to visit Reborn again." At the mention of the Spartan math teacher, both Vongola brothers shivered, faces blue. Giotto reiterated his previous point, crackling eyes ignited with a seriousness G hadn't seen before. "Hayato already wants to go under business, and we give him files that if he were to make a mistake would cost us billions of dollars. Cozart wanted to be an artist, but Enma? How much do you know about him?"

"…not much." G ran a hand through his hair, and closed his eyes. It struck him maybe an hour after filing the court date that he would be taking care of the brother of the last person he'd fallen in love with. He would be the nurturer to someone—who by looks— felt like a fucking _clone_ of his old lover. G knew he was a stubborn mule that hated being the one at fault. Most of the times as little kids he ended up going along with whatever Giotto did even if it would lead to death. When Cozart entered the picture, he _hated_ the other redhead. Unlike any other pest G determinedly rid their tiny group of, Cozart hadn't the care in the world what G did.

It was annoying. _Irritating. _ But at a point in their life, G found he was lying if he denied liking Cozart's company. Cozart loved being friends, and G made it his job that Cozart, like Giotto, would be treated well. On occasion, anyway.

Enma was different. He rarely ever spoke, sharing a shy quality his older brother honed skillfully, and blushed a delicate red every time G said one word. He was observant, just as Cozart, and one look could spin an entire different tale. But he still wasn't Cozart.

"Think about his future," Giotto shrugged nonchalantly.

"What about Tsuna?"

The blond furtively frowned and looked to the other adult. "What about him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" G pushed thoughts of Enma away, curious to discuss Giotto's stand now that three months had passed. His best friend was more protective of Tsuna, good heart winning in favor of a sixteen-year grudge. "Haven't you thought about it?"

This time Dino piped in. "He's got a point, little brother."

"What point?" Giotto arched an eyebrow, looking between the pair with notable confusion, and the redhead gestured between the pair.

"I've…got custody of Enma now, and you've got custody over Tsuna. Iemitsu and Nana may be getting married, but they're planning to live in Italy. Tsuna has two more years of high school to finish after the wedding and he isn't going to want to be thousands of miles away from his best friend."

"Then," the blond blinked as if it wasn't a big deal, "we'll just move to Italy."

"_No_, that's not the point." G shook his head, truthfully surprised by his best friend's simple conclusion. They had this same conversation two months ago after Tsuna injured his ankle from the unspoken incident. He remembered the day well, how Giotto grumpily came into the office with a frown on his face. Before G managed to ask what was wrong, the blond had gone on a rant how odd it was for Tsuna to be beaten up, and criticized him for being weak.

After their resolution, however, Giotto had been nervous and cautious. He'd never seen the blond so careful and worried that he'd screw up with anything before. Many times Tsuna rendered Giotto speechless and stunned, a flustered pink staining his cheeks in a way so different from Daemon. For Daemon, it was all about fun and games but Tsuna…Tsuna was honest and quaint. He always meant what he said.

Quite frankly, G now worried what Giotto would be like if he was stripped away from his baby brother.

But oblivious and confused, Giotto merely looked between the pair, along with the taxi driver that couldn't understand Italian. He frowned, expression softening and crossed his arms like a haphazard teenager that failed to get his way. "I know what you're thinking."

"Do you?" When Dino asked it seemed like less a challenge than if G would have verbalized. The eldest adult smiled softly, regaining bits and pieces of his own cheer and sympathy sprinkled through his tone. "Remember our conversation? You said Tsuna would prefer living with me, but seeing the way he smiles…I don't believe you."

"Guys—"

"I expected you to be antsy and panicky every time you called and reported Dino's little accidents," G confessed. He crossed his arms, amused, and smiled a little. "But that wasn't the case, now was it? Enma isn't Cozart, but Tsuna, in an essence, can be you. He doesn't adapt well, and thinks his opinion against everyone else's as a hindrance."

"But—"

"You know what our first conversation was?" Dino chuckled, brown eyes fluttering to the redhead with a gentle grin. In some ways the resemblance was clearly there between the brothers. Others, Giotto was eloquent to Dino's…awkward dorkiness. Still, the eldest blond's demeanor flashed with quaint concern and he leaned forward gently. "He…told me he thought he'd never be accepted by our side of the family, little brother. You make him happy."

The taxi came to a stop once they finally came down town and the storm still had yet to stop. No one made a move to leave the car as Dino casually paid the taxi driver and Giotto held a thoughtful expression to his stature. The younger blond stared at his lap, lips unmoving until finally:

"I've thought about it."

"Good." G exchanged looks with Dino, grateful the other adult was on his side.

"But…" Giotto grew silent again. Surprisingly red scattered across the half-Italian's cheeks, eyebrows knitting together. It was an expression G expected to see when he had first mentioned Alaude and the date. After all, the pair was only a hair away from a budding relationship. However, the way Giotto glowed crimson proved otherwise, and led to more confusion. As if he realized something new, the blond's face turned redder, hand pressing against his lips before quickly opening the car door. "Never mind."

Giotto left without a word.

"You think we were too hard on him?" Dino flashed a look of concern as they crawled out of the car. Giotto was nowhere to be seen, most likely having gone and grabbed a table.

"I think we're missing something vitally important between both of them." G shrugged, and knew it was best not to pry. He'd always been the third wheel when it came to Giotto and other people, and generally became the middle person when anyone had a problem.

Dino snorted. "I feel like I'm missing something _every time they're in the same room together._"

"That bad, huh?" G chuckled and gestured to the small canopy at the entrance of the restaurant. As Dino took the first steps toward the restaurant, the redhead grappled his arm and held it tightly. From head-to-toe, G scrutinized the blond that he'd always considered as his older brother. The Vongola and Tempesta were just family. "How are you feeling?"

"How do you think I feel?" Dino offered a lopsided smile.

"Your brother is currently in a relationship with a man you've been chasing for years after you suddenly got rejected. Or you rejected him. You've never disclosed details and Alaude's too much of an ass to say anything to me or Giotto." G leaned carefully into a pole, fingers wrapping around cold metal, and looked across from him with a tight expression. "Don't think because we're so wrapped up in our lives that we never worry about yours."

Dino blinked. "You really are his wife, aren't you?"

"Fuck, so I've been told." The redhead smiled wryly, arms relaxing against his sides, and got a glimpse of the boys hanging around the souvenirs. Quickly he sobered, and stared at the blond expectantly. "Part of me suspects the reason why Giotto's never pursued a relationship with Alaude is because _you're_ in his thoughts. He thinks highly of you, for some ungodly reason."

"…it's pretty much been a big misunderstanding." The mirth disappeared from the elder adult's tone. His eyes darkened distantly, and G followed the other man's trail of sight. Dino was staring at Alaude. He tried for a laugh that simply hollowed, and the struggle for a positive heart tarnished. "It's silly."

"Then why are you heartbroken?"

"I'm not."

"I fucking swear to God, if you make me recite one of Giotto's dumbass food metaphors—"

"_He_," Dino breathed, face twisting, "and I…were exclusive. For a while. And then I wanted to be on his good side. So. I got to know Kyouya and. Kyouya got. Attached. We. Hadn't really decided on the name of our relationship, so. It ended up not being one and. He thought I was. Um, '_fucking his nephew.'_"

That certainly wasn't something he expected. G blinked, taken aback and did a double take on the explanation. He knew for a fact that sexual tension was high between the pair, and Dino had followed Alaude around like a lost puppy every chance he got back when they lived in France. Oddly enough, this same explanation sufficed. Alaude had an _incredibly_ possessive streak, and anything of his that was tampered with normally ended up with the perpetrator on the ground with a limb jutting in an awkward angle.

"And you never cleared up the misunderstanding?"

"Qui-ite frankly I think Kyouya has a soft spot for me." Dino rubbed an elbow, but from the way he cringed seemed like that '_soft spot'_ was a bruise. "And I injured his pride. For better or worse, he'd never forgive me, and…Giotto's happy. Happier than he's been in a long time."

"But you're still heartbroken. _More heartbroken than you've been for a long time." _G shook his head, knowing that it'd been less than a day and he was already picking things up like he never left. _He_ was acting like the big brother to the many _children_ that were actually his age and currently taking on problems that most of the time didn't involve him.

Dino smiled softly, and for a moment G realized the elder adult was being sincere. "I put my little brother's happiness before my own, G."

G stared at the man in front of him, expression unwavering, and was unsure of what to say. Funny. Tsuna had Dino's clumsiness, and Giotto had Dino's charm. They all had a kind, selfless heart so sweet and gentle that one would wonder if they ever tapered. Dino looked out for Giotto, Giotto looked out for Tsuna, and Tsuna looked out for…_everyone_.

"You're still a virgin, aren't you?" G looked from the corner of his eye and noticed Giotto in mid-conversation with both his brother and the so-called _'Little Bite-Size.' _Occasionally fiery orbs would glance up, anticipating their entrance, but he hadn't said a thing.

Dino shoved hands in his hair, lacking the prudishness of his second youngest brother and the dry wit of his first youngest. "I'm half a virgin."

"That's fucked up logic."

"It's what I consider the right logic. You can have sex all you want, but there are very few people in the world you can make love with." Dino shrugged nonchalantly, eyes shifting to the subtle stormy downpour on the other end of the category. "Get the picture?"

"Oddly enough, more than you think." G stood tall and finally decided to leave the subject on the table. Instead his eyes focused on Enma, who stood at the tip of his toes and reached for a hat on the top shelf. He inspected the hat, fingers brushing against its visor, and curled his fingers into it. G's chest tightened. "We should go inside."

"Yeah." Dino agreed lightly and opened the door slowly. "We should."

OoOoO

"THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE."

"Aw, Hiro-san…"

Before Tsuna knew it, his eyes were being covered by a very small hand from the scene of Enma's doctor with…w-well, apparently his _boyfriend_ or something. It was their last day in Shimon, and after a visit to Doctor Nowaki, Enma was free to move and reenroll at Namimori High. He'd woken up that morning with Enma by his side, sound asleep once again at the Arcobaleno Hotel Suite, and was under the odd obligation of visiting Shimon after moving away. Nothing was different.

The café still sold donuts, the jungle gym still had an odd, star-shaped dent, and the library still had a lingering scent of tuna and gym socks. They'd visited City Hall, Shimon High School, and the mall to buy new clothes and order a mattress—_which, under the budget of Vongola Inc., would meet them at the Tempesta-Ugetsu Apartment._ He made a mental note to ask Giotto why he didn't abuse his money like most millionaires and live in a flashy mansion.

Now, however, after a long day of going around and forcing down the habit both he and Giotto shared of turning around whenever they heard a destructive noise (because really, those generally meant Dino had broken something or got his head glued to a wall), they had to get Enma to his last check-up before the train left for Namimori that night. Alaude had apparently gone back the same night Dino left for Italy, and they weren't far from departure.

But seeing as Doctor Nowaki was currently inches away from another lip-lock with a smaller man in his office, Tsuna wasn't sure what to say. He'd seen worse; reminded faintly that his first impression of Giotto since ten years prior involved much less clothes. Er, followed by Alaude occasionally entering the living room of Giotto's old apartment with nothing but a pair of boxers and a handcuff over his left wrist. _Thank God_ Giotto finally set boundaries, a-and all of that.

So somehow, Tsuna felt himself doing the same as he grazed a hand over Enma's lonely Band-Aid and pressed a hand over the redhead's eyes.

"I take it this is your lover?" G's voice.

"Isn't he cute?" Doctor Nowaki.

"Did you just…did you just call me _cute_? You freaking—_GAH!" _Now Tsuna was convinced he was seeing the future if Yamamoto and Gokudera ever got together. "I'm not _cute_, I-I'm Kamijou the Devil, a-and…"

"Déjà vu?" Giotto's voice tickled the brunet's ear, mirth dancing in his voice. He pressed a hand to the teenager's shoulder with a light chuckle after Tsuna nodded. "We're going to go wait outside, alright?"

"Sure thing." G, of course, must have seen every little sexual experience Giotto had ever experienced. The very thought only made Tsuna turn redder.

He felt a hand brush against the skin of his wrist, delicately wrapping around his arm, and was tugged out the door. Tsuna looked up to his brother (though not by much, he realized. Tsuna really _was_ growing) and they leaned against a small rail against the wall. Fiery orbs stared back good-naturedly, not once having faltered since their arrival yesterday. "I'm beginning to see some logic in G's crazy theory."

"The one where he thinks everyone is, er, gay?" Tsuna smiled weakly and felt his cheeks stain pink. "I-I would think Gokudera-kun was the one who came up with that."

Giotto chuckled softly, raising his head elegantly in the air before folding his arms. "Speaking of _Hayato_—"

"Yeah. A-And Doctor Nowa—"

"Oh God, yes."

They shared a small laugh, and without even realizing it, Tsuna leaned closer to his brother. Any ounce of stress he had—_any doubt_—suddenly disappeared from his mind, and his brother's soft chuckles only made his spirits rise. Between worrying about Enma and worrying about Yamamoto—Giotto simply made him happy. He…loved it.

"…been so busy trying to keep Alaude and Dino from ripping each other's heads off that I forgot to see how you're doing." Giotto's voice dropped an octave and he lowered his gaze to the teenager. His eyes flickered with tender concern and amusement. "How are you?"

"Trying to keep Enma from having a fainting attack each time G-san gets more than a foot into his bubble." Tsuna smiled sheepishly and felt his cheeks turn red. "You?"

"Just…happy that at least one of my brothers is happy." It only made the brunet darken.

Suddenly the door flew open, revealing the man that Doctor Nowaki had been with, face beet red and scowl demonic. Eek. Tsuna fidgeted, moving closer to his brother instinctively as the man gave them a grouchy glare and stomped off in a different direction mumbling something about 'stupid tattoos' and 'bratty high-intellect little kids.' Doctor Nowaki popped his head out, completely oblivious to the little tantrum produced, and led the way for both Enma and G.

"You're free to go, Enma-san. I wish you the best of luck." The tall adult beamed, looking between the trio. No one expected for Enma to depart from G's side and give his doctor a hug.

A sigh of relief escaped Tsuna's throat, watching sheepishly as the doctor clung onto Enma's form tightly. Looking back at the doctor, he only shivered, remembering that although Yamamoto and Gokudera had made up, their little problems were still unresolved. If…Gokudera and Yamamoto could end up the slightest bit like Doctor Nowaki and his lover, then it would be a miracle.

"So he'll hug the doctor but not the giant pink-and-red M&M cookie." The warmth of Giotto's arm tickled Tsuna's shoulder. Tsuna bit back a smile. Giotto had become more like their older brother than he'd imagine. "Ready to go home?"

…home. With his best friend, his brother, and…and the first person in Namimori who treated him like a person rather than an inanimate object. His chest tingled at the thought, watching as Enma pulled away from the tall doctor with a quiet thank you, and couldn't resist the urge to smile.

"Yeah." _Most definitely._

**Author's Note: **

Yes. I know I've been saying, "I don't really like how this chapter came out recently" a lot, but I actually like this one. I'm gonna get bitched for it, I do already know. :B The thing is, this chapter mostly has G and Enma going, "Um, so we were only technically written out of the story for like a month/two weeks. Why are they so touchy-feely now?" And highlight some other things. Now onto more pressing manners, I'm taking a break from this story. A couple reasons, actually.

First off, the past two weeks I've been trying to keep updates each week for every story. With my new one for Young Justice (oddly, at least five of you are now poking at that story) that's three updates, and generally around 17,000 to 20,000 words a week for Zeph to write. I've been wanting to write before hand, but I've gotten boggled. This week and last week I tried tri-updates, which have _worked_, but also means that one story gets the short end of the stick. This week, it was this story, and do you know what I hate? Beating my butt trying _so freaking hard_ to have material for each fandom to read, then ending up having to give one story the short end of the stick. And school. School sucks.

Before I get complaints and people begging and asking, _why this story?_ It's now 27 chapters long, at least 150,000 words, and the plot has developed. I've said repeatedly that I've got other things I really want to work on, and as you can see, I wasn't bluffing when I said I had other stories to work on. Trying to think of a schedule for this story, worst case scenario being an update every two to four weeks, and honestly? That's not too bad. Updating this story lately has literally become the lowlight of my weeks since there just isn't any time for it, and I really don't want to look at it that way. And…I've been getting reviews lately from reviewers that have crossed the line without even realizing it. Painfully, _stressful_ reviews that like I said, cross the line with extra, unnecessary comments. In all my years of writing, I've honestly rarely (or ever) had to deal with little comments like that.

I know some of you are gonna say, 'haters gonna hate,' but I _do_ know the difference between a reviewer giving you constructive criticism and an unnecessary rude comment that you yourself admit is just absolutely unneeded. Do _you_? I'm sorry I'm ranting. But nowadays I feel like these reviews are walking all over me. Sorry, sorry, sorry.


	28. dates and boundaries

**chapter twenty-eight has **dates and boundaries.

As promised, the moment Tsuna returned to Namimori, he had to take Kyoko out on a date.

The occurrence had slipped his mind in favor of seeing Enma (for very good reasons, too), but while his best friend got settled living with G and enrolling into Namimori High a few days later, Kyoko-chan and her best friend came up to him, one with a bright smile and, er, another who looked like she knew _way too much_ reminding him of his date. A date to a freaking _boxing match._

So there Tsuna stood, looking at himself in the long mirror that hung at the door of his room and fiddling with his hair. He hadn't the _slightest idea_ what he was supposed to do for a date. Luckily Giotto had yelled at Dino over the phone for even _suggesting_ that the teenager should wear a tuxedo, which—which really didn't leave him with much. After getting repeatedly shoved in lockers and having his face rearranged more times than there were people in the world, Tsuna didn't find fighting appealing.

Did you buy a gift for a girl? Did you hold hands? Oh god, what kind of _shoes_ did you wear?

A knock at the door didn't soothe his worries. Instead, Tsuna jumped, head snapping to the side. "C…Come in."

G's head popped through the door, red mop and all as a small smile worked its way across his face. He looked around, long whistle escaping his lips as he closed the door behind him. "So this is your new room?"

The brunet nodded quietly, and collapsed to his bed. Most things…seemed to return back to normal. Enma followed him around, and he had to take the forward approach in introducing his best friend to everyone. It didn't bode well with some people—Reborn-sensei, however, seemed to take a liking to the kid. Yamamoto and Gokudera-kun weren't fighting—but they weren't talking, either. Now that G was back from Shimon, Enma at hand, Tsuna found himself with a constant babysitter and saw his best friend every day. Normally G would leave them in a different room for a few hours and talk over the phone.

"It's nice. It's…" G tore the door open wider, revealing the whiteboard with a fish drawn stupidly in permanent marker. That had been one of Dino's first mistakes. "It's fitting."

"I manage." The brunet turned around, body dragging back to the closet to the many clothes Giotto had bought him. He flitted through three shirts—what color was he supposed to wear? _Seriously_.

"First date?"

Tsuna halted, then hesitantly nodded. G let out a low whistle.

"Your brother's probably better suited when it comes to this matter. Or even Enma. I'm…not your best bet." G stood next to Tsuna, then peeled off the first shirt he could see: an orange one, along with a nice pair of light blue jeans. Truth be told there were few instances where Tsuna could actually wear clothes out of his school uniform, anyway. "Orange is a good color on you."

"Erm. Thanks."

Awkward silence. Tsuna felt his cheeks burn brightly as he leaned against his bed post. But what was he supposed to say? He was nervous as heck for this date and didn't even remember asking about it! Taking in a deep breath, he gratefully took the clothes and looked to the redhead with wide-eyes.

G nodded carefully, amusement fluttering across his features. "You…want me to step out of the room?"

Tsuna nodded with embarrassment, gaze darting elsewhere. "Sorry." He reached for the end of his shirt, fingers squeezing the hem before he realized G hadn't left the room. From the corner of his eye, he realized that the redhead was staring fervently out his window, like he wanted to say something but couldn't. Tsuna cleared his throat. "Um…?"

"Oh. Right—sorry." G snapped out of his thoughts, then proceeded toward the door.

"Wait—" Tsuna placed the shirt and pants on his bed and reached out to tug on his brother's best friend's sleeve. "Did you want to ask something?"

Tilting his head to the side, the brunet watched ruby red eyes twinkle with emotion. A soft laugh escaped G's throat and he shrugged sheepishly. "I don't…really know myself. Maybe it's just been too long since I've been able to think."

"You should start that again." Tsuna scratched his head, then mentally slapped himself. "I mean, that thinking thing. Y-You deserve a day off to yourself, after all."

Which was an understatement of the truth. If there were _anyone_ who filled out all the requirements of Giotto's 'wife,' then it was G. G had been nothing but nice to him and Enma from the very beginning, and the way that he looked at things (sort of like he was looking _now_), Tsuna realized that it _had_ taken a strain on him. Ever since…Tsuna twitched. "Could I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Were you really in love with Enma's brother? I-I mean—I hear about it. A…And Giotto speaks fondly about it. And…the moment you realized that Enma was Cozart-san's little brother, you…" _Flipped a lid._ "Erm, punched out Zakuro-san." Tsuna wasn't sure whether to be sheepish or to look at something interesting glued to his ceuling.

Fortunately, that appeared to be the thought that was running through G's mind. His lip twitched, like he didn't expect for Tsuna to catch on, and immediately red bloomed across his features. His eyebrows knit together and he pushed a lock of hair behind his ear. "It's…complicated."

Of course. Tsuna plopped onto the bed, legs crossed, and felt his shoulders come up to his ears nervously. "Um. I-I don't mind hearing."

Especially since Enma was curious, too. Granted he had a crush on the older redhead, but it was a subject that had made his best friend uncomfortable since they returned to Namimori. He would give odd looks to G, like trying to decipher it for himself, and automatically do something odd or clumsy the moment G caught him. It was obvious that Cozart meant a great deal to the grown-ups, so…what was the harm in asking?

G ran a hand through his hair once again and leaned against the wall. He looked uncomfortable. "Alright. Ask."

"You…once told me that Giotto and Cozart were a couple. And that's all I hear: that my brother and Enma's brother used to be a couple." Which was still an odd detail that confused Tsuna, how they all knew one another. Looking his caretaker in the eye, Tsuna's brow furrowed together. "I…know about Alaude-san and Daemon, how they were with Giotto. But…how did you end up with Cozart-san?" From the way his brother and Cozart were described, it seemed as though they were joined at the hip.

A grimace fell across G's face. He self-consciously placed a hand at the back of his neck and sighed. A wistful look spread across his demeanor and he shut his eyes, like he was savoring a memory. "Cozart and Giotto…they _were_ inseparable. Almost painfully so since we were around your age. We all went to the same school. Back then, he'd been so solemn…but I guess now it all makes sense." G laughed. "I hated him."

_Eek._ That…wasn't how Tsuna expected the story to go. Then again, Gokudera and Yamamoto were no exception to that rule, given Gokudera's temper.

Suddenly G's look fell remorsefully, and he sighed. "After Cozart died, Giotto would say…that Cozart fell for _me_ _first. _And maybe he did, but I was an idiot not being able to pick up on his comments. Calling me beautiful or handsome or whatever shit." Suddenly he turned pink and grumbled under his breath. "Hayato's sister started asking to be separated from me. To have a divorce, since we didn't see much of one another, anyway. At first I figured it was because she didn't want to be caged—"

"But," Tsuna interrupted as the pieces formed in his head, "then you realized…that…m-maybe Bianchi already knew you had feelings for someone else? For Cozart?"

Red stained G's cheeks as he looked away, clearly embarrassed. "Basically."

Awkward silence. _Again._ But now, Tsuna had answers. "Can I…ask you one more thing?"

"Is it going to have anything to do with my shitty love-life?"

Er. Sort of. "Are you…are you really okay with it?" Tsuna sat up straight, eyes taking in the adult's expression carefully. "With…with watching Enma then—"

"I _have_ to watch Enma," G interrupted firmly. "It's the only thing that I can do to repay everything Cozart has done for me."

The brunet flinched at the answer. He'd expected nothing less from the adult, but was shocked at the ferocity behind his words. Heart skipping a beat, Tsuna decided at that moment his toes were the most interesting thing in the world. Then, quietly, he whispered, "Just…don't treat him like Cozart, okay?"

G blinked, clearly surprised. "What do you mean?"

Enma's heart could be broken easily. There were very few people he really trusted in the world after years in Shimon, and Tsuna was lucky to find a best friend in him when he could. As grateful as both teens were to be reunited, if Enma was under the impression G and them had only rescued him because he was _Cozart-san's_ brother, he would have felt weird.

Besides, as weird as Enma's crush on G-san _was_, he probably only saw the older man as Cozart's _lover. _It would have been like, betrayal or something. L-Like if Tsuna ever had a crush on scary Doctor Brouille. (At that thought, Tsuna shivered.)

"Tsuna?"

The brunet snapped out of his thoughts as he realized he'd left G hanging. Furiously shaking his head, Tsuna pointed toward the door. "N-Nothing. I should get ready now."

After all, he had a heterosexual date when he himself, was absolutely _not._

OoOoO

Despite them being his clothes, Tsuna still felt weird. He wasn't sure what to do with his hair (not that you were supposed to do anything…right?), or if he was supposed to wear a special pair of shoes. The sweatshirt and pants G had chosen for him, Tsuna must have worn a thousand times before, but wearing them now…he felt like a piece of meat or something. Especially since—

"Wow. You look _hot_, Tsuna. Haha." Yamamoto split into a grin as red brushed across the brunet's cheeks. He looked up from his card game on the couch with Enma and scanned the smaller teen with approval.

From the kitchen counter, Giotto perked up from his conversation with Alaude and smiled with approval. "Cute, little brother."

That only made him blush more. And harder, as he descended down the stairs. Immediately, Enma stood to his feet and scampered over to his best friend. He tugged at the strings of Tsuna's hoodie, eyes glittering mischievously as his lips curled into a small, amused smile. "You're really going to go through with this?"

Erk. "Well, i-it was hard to say no." Especially given the circumstances they were going out on a date to see Kyoko-chan's _boxing _older brother, and both had two equally scary parents. Both of which who wanted eighty grandchildren. _Each. _Shivering, he thankfully took his best friend's hand and made his way toward the couch.

Yamamoto laughed softly and set his cards down. "Do you want to start another game, Kozato? We'll just say you won the last one—it wasn't a good hand for me, anyway."

Enma nodded gently and buried his head in the crook of Tsuna's neck—an action that didn't go unnoticed. Down the hall, the toilet flushed, and G revealed himself, cuffs pulled up to his elbows. He looked to the two tiny teens, eyebrow raised carefully, then said nothing.

"What time is your date?" G asked instead.

It was odd seeing him in the apartment rather than Dino-san. But putting his brother to rest, Tsuna shrugged. He felt Enma's blush against his bare neck and fidgeted awkwardly. "Kyoko-chan said that she was going to come pick me up when she was ready."

"Oh?" Yamamoto perked. "Shouldn't you pick Sasagawa-chan up yourself? Seeing as she's the girl and all?"

Er. Now that he mentioned it, that _did _sound right. Still, the brown-haired teen shook his head carefully. "She said that it could take her a while. Both her parents are um, really excited or something. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sasagawa are going to be at the fight."

He missed the way his brother grumbled something under his breath. Giotto arched an eyebrow and gestured to Tsuna's ensemble. "That hoodie. Is that the only one you have, Tsuna?"

"Yeah. Why?" Tsuna twitched and took the liberty to examine himself. It was the white and orange hoodie his mother had made for him about a year back before Giotto and he had moved in with one another. Yet…he realized, it wasn't as comfortable as it once had been. The sweatshirt had become more formfitting, cuffs half an inch behind his wrists and hem above his hipbone. He'd forgotten he'd gone through a growthspurt.

"Looks like you're gonna have to go shopping again," G commented. He relaxed near Alaude. "Enma, too. December's right around the corner. They say it's going to snow soon."

"I could lend you some of my clothes, Tsuna." Yamamoto said helpfully. "You know, like at the beginning of the year when you wore my clothes after you'd been as—"

_Ding-Dong. _

"Th-That's probably for me!" Ignoring the look that appeared across his brother's face, Tsuna lunged for the door. He squeaked, tripping over the _welcome_ mat, then twisted the knob.

Kyoko stood at the other side, petite as ever with a bright smile and purse between small fingers. "Hi, Tsuna-kun. You look nice."

"Um." He was very aware of the fact all four men in his house were staring at him from behind and watching his every move. Tsuna scratched his head. "So do you. I like your…feet." Well, _that_ hadn't been one of his best comments. He heard a snicker or two, Yamamoto's soft but pitying laugh, and Enma's giggles.

Shockingly her eyes lit up at the comment. She held out one of her legs and nodded. "I got a pedicure with Hana-chan! I didn't think you'd notice…since they were in boots and all."

"Oh…I…" What was a pedicure, anyway? Tsuna scratched his head, unsure what to say.

"Tsuna." Fortunately his brother was in tune enough to sense his distress. Cocking his head over his shoulder, the brunet looked to his brother curiously. Giotto's fingers unbuttoned his long coat meticulously, and he tossed it across the air.

"Ah!" Tsuna caught it and stared at his brother quizzically.

Sigh escaping his lips, Giotto crossed his arms. "You're going to need a bigger jacket, if you expect to survive the cold. G and I will take you and Enma shopping tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Uh. Y-Yeah." More than good. Unfurling the jacket, Tsuna carefully peeled off his sweatshirt and hoped to God that it wouldn't get stuck around his unruly mane of hair, then placed the jacket over his body. His nose tingled, the scent of Giotto's cologne immediately tickling his nostrils and his knees somehow forgot their ability to stand. They bucked and he felt his ears heat up, but said nothing. "Thanks."

"Have fun on your date." Giotto stared at him oddly—and Tsuna was brought back to the first night after the dinner party at the Sasagawa residence.

_You shouldn't lead her on like that_, his brother had said. But, what was he supposed to _do_? According to everyone else, Kyoko-chan had a crush on him, but he wasn't sure how to turn her down without hurting her feelings.

The sleeves of Giotto's jackets were too long for him. Tsuna pulled the cuffs behind his wrists and buttoned up the complicated jacket, cheeks warming pink, then looked to Kyoko, who'd stayed silent at the door. "How do I look?"

It was weird. She blushed, smile coming upon her lips and flustered before gesturing outside. "You look nice."

"Um, so do you." Kyoko-chan was naturally pretty. Tsuna was pretty sure that she wasn't wearing makeup. In a quaint way, Kyoko made him think of his mother; someone who smiled through every situation no matter how bad it got. Shutting the door behind him, Tsuna breathed with relief as they walked toward the elevator.

It _dinged_, and both teens stepped into the empty space. Tsuna gulped when Kyoko giggled, leaning closer to him. She asked, "So, where are we going for dinner?"

_Dinner_? _DINNER_?

"Hie? Did…did we plan that?" Weren't they only going to watch Ryohei-senpai box, and then go home?

"No. I assume that was up to you." Kyoko cheerfully shook her head, arm pressed against Tsuna's.

He inched away as the elevator dinged, several more residents coming into the elevator, and gulped. Unfortunately because of the distance he tried to maintain, he lost Kyoko through three adults and two kids that also occupied the elevator on the way down. Which was fine by him. But _now_ he had to figure out where they were going to eat!

And he'd left his wallet at home, specifically thinking they wouldn't need the money. Ryohei's fight with Aoba was supposed to be free. A groan escaped the brunet's lips and he yanked his hair. This wasn't going to end well, and Kyoko-chan would never want to speak to him, ever again.

And PawPaw was going to kill him. Eek.

"Tsuna-kun?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Tsuna looked up curiously. Kyoko stepped out of the elevator, smiling.

"Are you ready to go?" The girl held a dainty hand out, and Tsuna had no choice but to take it.

His palm was sweaty, hands a little more rugged than hers were. As they exited the building, Tsuna felt the panic surge through his skin. They could go to Yamamoto Sushi, but—ah, what if Kyoko-chan was a vegetarian? Did fish count as meat? They made vegetarian sushi, right?

He tore out of his thoughts once again when there was a tug on his hand. Kyoko-chan smiled brightly and leaned into his jacket. "Lead the way. Where are we going to eat, Tsuna-kun?"

"I-I…er…s-surprise." Erk. "I need to make a phone call."

"Oh?" she stopped in front of a cross-walk and obediently waited.

Tsuna felt himself trembling. What were you _supposed _to do when it came to a girl? "I mean…b-by myself. Without you."

Bewilderment.

"S-Sorry! It's just—it's important." The poor boy tore away from his date, creating as much distance between him and Kyoko-chan as possible. When she was far enough away, waiting for the cross-walk to change colors, Tsuna dug for his phone and dialed.

OoOoO

"He values you a lot."

Enma cocked his head in surprise, fingers still tangled with the deck of cards he'd been playing with before Yamamoto left him to train with Master Asari Ugetsu. Cheeks blooming red, he felt his shoulders come to his ears as he burrowed himself into the couch.

And G-san definitely took notice. He looked to the smaller redhead from the dinner table, eyes narrowed thoughtfully before shrugging. "We had a conversation when he was getting ready for his date. You were brought up a couple times."

Oh. Well, hopefully not in a bad light. Enma bit the inside of his mouth and said nothing. That had been how their relationship worked ever since G became his legal guardian. The night they returned to Namimori, Enma was surprised to find he had his own bedroom (complete with a piano—something that G and Gokudera-kun both knew how to play, he'd been told) and it be furnished. While not as big as Tsuna's, it accommodated to all his needs and was much bigger than his shared room with Rauji back home.

_Not home anymore._ Enma mentally slapped himself. _Home_ was with G-san and Asari Ugetsu-san now. It was where he was sitting—on the couch with the TV far in front of him and G staring at him from the kitchen table.

Asari Ugetsu was the one who was often home whenever Enma dropped his things off from school before going upstairs to hang out with Tsuna. Often G watched them, but as of lately, Tsuna and he would go across the street and hang out with Yamamoto. After all, Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto weren't talking for some reason.

_Bickering lovers_, as Enma would like to call them. And G, with less niceness. After an eventful day with Tsuna, he would meet G by the door of their apartment before going in. G would speak, Enma would nod. It'd been a silent understanding between them since his surgery.

And besides, every time he tried to speak, there was a lump in his throat that made him want to puke rainbows and butterflies and breakfast from like, ten years ago.

"He…" G-san's eyes softened considerably. "Brought Cozart up."

Oh.

Before anything else could be said, Enma flinched as G's phone vibrated on the coffee table. From the corner of his eye, he could see G's demeanor curling with disapproval, but he said nothing. The older redhead picked up his phone, leaving Enma to his cards and the new episode of Katekyo Hitman Rebirth. (The lead was supposed to meet a 'loser' like himself and battle with their family or something.)

"Why would Tsuna call?" G blinked.

The younger redhead arched an eyebrow, but could only shrug. Tsuna normally called _him_ first.

"Tsuna? Yeah. This is G…what?" G grimaced. Faintly, Enma could hear the high-pitched voice of panic in his best friend's voice as he chattered along. "Kid, slow do…what?" He choked down a laugh, eyes suddenly meeting Enma's once again and grin hidden under his hand. "You planned a date with the Sasagawas' daughter and didn't think about _dinner_?" His expression fumbled again, obviously troubled. "Oh. Ouch, kid."

Finally taking pity on his best friend, Enma hid a smile of his own under a couch pillow and held his hand out.

_You want the phone_? G mouthed.

Enma nodded and gratefully pressed the phone to his ear.

"—_be I'm in over my head about this. M-Maybe I shouldn't be taking her on the date, I don't even know what I'm __**doing!" **_Aw. Tsuna.

He looked expectantly to G, who remained in front of the TV, amusement teeming in his eyes.

Enma blushed and shyly opened his mouth to spea—

"_Eh? Enma? Is that you?" _

Er. "Yes?" He pulled himself off the couch, ignoring his caretaker's eyes as they followed him across the living room. He wandered to the fridge, phone cupped between ear and shoulder before pulling out two pudding cups.

"_I. Um. I-I screwed up." _

The only way you could 'screw up' was if you stared at a girl's chest too long. Being as short as he was, Enma once remembered in middle school when a girl who dated Longchamp punched him, because he couldn't tell the difference between her stomach and her chest. "How?"

Tsuna was gulping on the other end. _"I…I forgot to make dinner reservations or something." _

Oh. "So it's a real date?"

"_Does it count as a real date if we're holding hands?" _

"I don't know." Standing at the tip of his toes, Enma reached for two spoons and set one of the pudding cups in front of G, spoon as well. The redheaded adult muttered a _thank you_ and plopped next to him on the couch. "You and I hold hands. But we're not dating." Who knew?

Picking up his homework, Enma squeaked as his finger stung. _Paper cut._ As if rehearsed, G-san pulled a bandaid out of his pocket and began dressing the wound.

"_W…Well, we're heading toward the school. What do you think I should do?" _

Enma squirmed as G's meticulous fingers worked on his paper cut. Eyes fluttering up, he took in the sight of the redhead. There was an idea in his head—but that involved talking to G-san. And since their first meeting, Enma regrettably had a series of awkward mishaps whenever he was near the adult.

"Could…" he spoke quietly, eyes still fixated on the adult, "could you…make dinner reservations for Tsuna?"

G looked up.

Technically this was their first conversation with one another. Ever.

"Um. Please?"

"Sure." Nodding, G flexed until the home phone was in his hand and looked back to him curiously. "What direction is he heading?"

"He says toward the school," Enma whispered.

"Come again?"

"Toward the school."

"Speak louder, Munch."

"T…Toward the school!" Enma felt the heat across his cheeks. That was the loudest he'd ever spoken since…ever, probably. He shriveled on the couch, legs pressed against his chest.

All he heard in return was a light chuckle, G's expression once again brimming with amusement. "Alright. Tell him I'll get reservations at Osaka."

"The city?"

"The _grill._"

"Okay." Turning his head from the adult's view, he pressed the phone closer to his face. "G-san says that he can get you into Osaka."

"_Eh? The city?" _

"No." Stealing a glance at G, Enma couldn't help but revel at the fact he'd finally had a conversation with G. A smile spread across his lips. "The grill."

OoOoO

Evidently Enma was happy about something. Tsuna blinked against the phone, shooting glances toward Kyoko, who still waited patiently near the crosswalk. "Um…T…tell him I said thank you then. Thanks a lot, Enma."

"_Welcome…G-san also says that it'll be put on his tab._"

Hanging up the phone, he could only sigh in relief. G and Enma helping him out of his current predicament was all he could ask for. Yamamoto probably could have helped him, but he winced at the thought of asking anymore favors from Yamamoto. And he still wasn't sure whether or not fish were a vegetarian meal. Threading a hand through his hair, he met back up with Kyoko.

She smiled sweetly. "Did your call end well?"

"Um. Very. We're going to dine over at Osaka's before the meal." At least this explained why they were going out on their date so early in the day. Ryohei's match wasn't until much later. Reaching out, Tsuna grabbed Kyoko's hand and pressed the button, signaling the pedestrian sign.

In return, Kyoko stared at him oddly. Er, was she blushing?

"Wh-what's wrong? You wanted to hold hands, right?" Tsuna looked to her, mortified. He was beginning to think he didn't understand girls more so than usual. They'd held hands whenever they went to the dinner party. Was there a limit to how many times you could hold a girl's hand or something?

"N…no, that's fine." Her eyes shimmered prettily, face still shining with red. "You're really nice, Tsuna-kun."

"Thanks. You're uh, really nice too." He stiffened as she leaned into his warmth and breathed, feeling the scent of Giotto's cologne as it reached his nose. As far as Tsuna knew, this was his brother's favorite jacket. Smiling at the thought, he nestled tighter behind it and squeezed his grip on Kyoko's hand.

Now he had to figure out how to get out of his current predicament. Or at _least_ how to make this date bearable. He wasn't someone who liked fighting, and for some reason no matter what he did, Kyoko kept liking him for it!

"Oh, I see Osaka!" Kyoko squealed, head nestled tightly against Tsuna's shoulder. He nearly fell over from the weight.

"Eek!"

"Tsuna-kun! Are you okay?"

"Y…Yeah. Eheh." Rubbing the back of his neck, the brunet attempted and guided her toward the entrance.

The carpet was red. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and eloquent music played from the back. They stood up front with the hosts and hostesses, along with the many people who were waiting for free tables. He heard Kyoko coo from behind him, clearly impressed.

"This is amazing," she breathed.

"Oh…y-yeah?" It reminded him faintly of the hotel Giotto and he had stayed at when they visited Shimon. Holding her hand tighter, he walked toward the hostess booth and placed his hand on the ta—"Haru?" He blinked repeatedly, taking in the full sight of…someone who indeed looked like Gokudera's ex-girlfriend.

"Hahi? _Tsuna-san?_" The hostess turned around, brown eyes narrowing at the poor brunet. Haru. It was _definitely_ Haru. She gasped, hands going to her cheeks, and immediately squeaked. "What are you doing here? Are you eating here? Did someone tell you I was st-stalking you? 'Cause I'm not!"

Haru was stalking him? Tsuna blinked. He looked to Kyoko from the corner of his eye. Fortunately she seemed fascinated with the aquarium of fish built into the wall. "U-Um, I have a—"

"Do you need to be seated? Don't worry, Haru to the rescue!" Before he knew it, Haru had her hands covering his free one and yanked them inside the dining room. Tsuna squeaked in faint protest, but he doubted the girl had heard it.

"A-Ah—Haru—"

"Don't worry!" She winked good-naturedly and dragged him to a table. Before he had the chance to protest, Tsuna was thrust into a chair and scooted violently into the table. Eek. He heard the other chair scrape across the ground, then looked up to Haru's face.

"Eek!" Where was Kyoko-chan?

"Who told you that I worked here, Tsuna-san?" she chirped. A smile laced across her lips and she giggled softly, making herself comfortable in the seat. "That jacket…it certainly makes you look manly."

"O…Oh. Um. It's my brother's." He blushed, then tried to regain his demeanor. Why was she staring at him like that, anyway? Sitting straighter in the seat, Tsuna looked her in the eye. "I-I didn't know that you worked here. But I haven't seen you since, uh, you were still dating Gokudera." He grimaced. "Sorry about that. Um, he…can be a little rough."

"Hahi? No! I broke up with _him._"

"Really?" That had been a detail Gokudera had never told him. Yamamoto, too, Tsuna bet. Tsuna looked to her curiously, reminiscing on the conversation they'd had with one another months ago. Haru had been the one who said she wasn't sure if they were true loves or not.

Clearly catching the surprise in his expression, Haru mellowed tremendously. A sigh escaped her lips, heavy and almost melodramatic. "Guess…he and I weren't meant to be, is all."

He wondered if that meant Gokudera would finally admit he had feelings for Yamamoto. P…Probably not.

"But," she announced sweetly, "I have someone else that I really like now. And he's really sweet and nice and saved me once! Plus, he doesn't use foul language like Hayato-san did."

That was…nice.

"Tsuna…kun?"

"K-Kyoko-chan!" Right! He was on a date with Kyoko-chan! Standing up from where Haru had placed him, the teen looked to his date in surprise and embarrassment. She stood in front of their table, eyebrows knitted together and a hint of a frown on her face. "This uh, it i-isn't what it looks like—"

"Who," Haru began, "is she?" She stood up, standing parallel to the other girl.

Uh-oh.

"I'm…" Kyoko's eyebrows furrowed once again and Tsuna felt the guilt bubble in his stomach. Eek. "I'm Tsuna-kun's date. Right, Tsuna-kun?"

"R…Right!" He reached out to the chair Haru left behind and gestured to the seat. "Kyoko-chan, this is Haru. Haru, this is Kyoko-chan. Uh, H-Haru is Gokudera's ex-girlfriend."

"Oh." Relief flooded her face, and immediately a kind smile curtsied across her lips. She sat down obediently and glittered, as she looked up to Haru. "It's nice to meet you." She extended her hand.

Haru didn't take it. Instead, she looked over to Tsuna and…er. Looked kind of upset. "You…you have a girlfriend?"

"_Eh_? Sh-she's not my girlfriend!" A guy like him didn't stand a _chance_ getting a girl like Kyoko—straight _or_ gay. Plopping back down in his seat, Tsuna wasn't sure what else to say. His mind whirred at the thought and before he could help himself, he muttered, "Kyoko-chan is…she's too pretty to be my girlfriend."

Apparently that wasn't the right thing to say. Or uh, was. Haru was suddenly frowning and Kyoko placed a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.

Blinking a few times, Tsuna looked between the two girls. Red dusted across his date's face, embarrassed, but that same red was crossing Haru's—and she was absolutely _fuming._

"I'm. Going to go get your drinks," she announced. And she _didn't_ look very happy.

"But…" Kyoko frowned. "We haven't ordered an—"

"I'm going to get you drinks!" And with that, she left.

Tsuna felt the sweat permeate at his forehead. He twitched, unsure what to say of the behavior. Instead, he watched as Haru charged to the back, where he presumed she was getting their drinks. "Um…I-I'm really sorry about her behavior."

"No worries." She giggled softly, then looked back to him. Now that they weren't walking, he was able to get a better look at her. Other than their eye-color, Kyoko hardly looked like Ryohei-senpai. Odd, really. He took that fact into consideration, then goofily smiled back. It was hard to believe that Kyoko could come from such an enthusiastic family. But there was so much heart in them, that he couldn't help but be glad for her. _And_ miss his mother. "She seems really smitten with you."

"Smitten? Like…with me?" That was another ridiculous thought. To have ever landed a date with someone with Kyoko-chan was a dream. And Haru was…a little weird, really. Smiling nervously, Tsuna calmed down and sank into his chair. "She says she likes someone right now."

For some reason, he could feel Kyoko's knee touching his from beneath the table. "It could always be you. You never know."

"N…No. I don't think so."

"But you're really likeable, Tsuna-kun!" Her smile broadened and she rested her head in a hand. Across the table, her free one was extended, and Tsuna took it as his cue to place his over it. He felt himself blush, then opened his mouth to speak. Before he could get a word out, Kyoko continued, "I like that about you. That…you're very likeable."

"O…Oh." That had to be a first that he'd ever heard that from a girl. Yamamoto, G, and shockingly even Gokudera had been trying to tell him he was likeable ever since coming to Namimori. Enma once told him after Tsuna babbled for what seemed like ages that Namimori had changed him—_for the better._

Looking Kyoko in the face (and into her pretty, _hazel_ eyes), he couldn't help but scrutinize her thoughtfully. He'd been saying for ages that Kyoko was beautiful—and she was. From day one, she had been the nicest girl he'd ever met.

How come he never noticed her hair was red, too? Probably because he was too busy noticing—

He shoved that thought out of his mind, instead twitching when Kyoko's foot touched him again. "Er. S-Sorry. Do you need more leg room?"

Something in her eyes flashed with disappointment, then embarrassment as he looked at her quizzically. Shaking her head, Kyoko softly giggled and squeezed his hand gently. "It's fine, Tsuna-kun. I…I like what we're doing. Right now."

Oh. "I…I do too." This was nice—being able to share dinner and look a girl in the eye. He felt a bashful blush spread across his cheeks, then encouraged himself to tangle his fingers with Kyoko. He didn't exactly know how to charm a girl. No—not really.

But he didn't exactly know how to charm a _guy_, either.

Maybe he wasn't gay. Tsuna had never had a girlfriend, but he'd never had a boyfriend, either. And there was a lot about Kyoko-chan that reminded him of his mother. Wasn't that what guys were supposed to look in their girlfriends anyway? Acting like their mother?

Eighty grandchildren may not have been that bad. A-And at least, if they had children, there was Grandpa PawPaw and Ryohei-senpai to defend them.

Kyoko's giggle met his ear. "What are you thinking about?"

Tsuna felt heat flutter to his cheeks. "Um. Just…h-how happy I am right now—"

**SLAM**.

"EEK!"

Without warning, the serving platter had been thrown onto their table and both drinks tipped over in a horrible explosion. The next thing Tsuna knew, he was doused by three glasses of soda, something that smelled suspiciously like alcohol, and a boiling hot kettle of tea.

"Tsuna!" Kyoko stood up.

"Tsuna-san!" Haru squealed with dismay and dropped to the ground. "I-I'm sorry—I didn't mean to slam the drinks so hard—"

Tsuna, however, shriveled on the ground and groaned, trying _very hard_ to ignore the kettle of tea that hand landed…_very_ _violently_ between his legs.

Now, if he could get through this date without getting killed, h-he was sure he would be set for life.

OoOoO

"You look bothered." Giotto took a look at the Frenchman, eyebrow quirked curiously. When he didn't get a response—which of course, was usually normal—a frown accompanied the worry on the blond's face. There they sat on the couch in the penthouse at 10PM at night. Enma, G, and Yamamoto had left shortly after Tsuna went for his date, and for two hours following, Alaude and he remained at the house. Doing absolutely _nothing._

Alaude lay strategically on the Italian's lap. The next thing Giotto knew, Alaude's nose was buried deep in his stomach, and at a glance all he could see was snowy-white hair of his…was lover the right word? The Frenchman muffled something against Giotto's dress shirt.

"Why, Mr. Brouille, are you propositioning me?"

A tug on his shirt. "That I am."

Oh. "I'll pass." To say the look across Giotto's face was mortifying didn't cover it. He fumbled with the document between his fingers and felt the heat under his shirt. Golden eyes attempted to look everywhere but the icy blue ones burning holes at his face.

_**SWISH!**_

Without hesitation, Alaude switched their positions and Giotto found himself pinned against the couch, arms crossed over his head and legs sprawled over the cushions. Alluring blue eyes cast a long look his way, examining the blond's every feature.

Shit. They hadn't actually touched in a long time. Not since Alaude mentioned _Daemon Spade_ the last time they had sex. But—"_Ooh…_" The fact that Alaude immediately pressed a kiss to the crook of his neck wasn't discouraging. He shivered, feeling slender fingers fumble with the top button of his shirt. "A-Alaude, this isn't—_mm…_"

Giotto felt a jolt of pleasure run through the back of his spine, nose tickled by the scent of Alaude's shampoo. It'd been a long time since they had sex with one another, to put it simply. Feeling Alaude palm his nipples from the outside of his shirt was enough for him to wish things were simple again.

Before Enma, before poking around Cozart's grave again—before _Tsuna._

Right now, if Tsuna had never entered the picture, Giotto was sure they would be back in his grimy apartment, Alaude up against the wall with Giotto thrusting deep into him. Or back at Alaude's place, Giotto's hands tied together and blinded with a cloth over his eyes. Or, at his office, on his desk, under his desk, and secretly copping a feel at the other while they were sure G wouldn't notice.

That being said, he _missed_ being able to have sex with Alaude on _every inch of his apartment._

Taking that thought into consideration, he ignored his insecurities about Daemon and pulled the Frenchman into a kiss. Chuckle escaping his lips, the half-Italian tangled his hands in snowy-white locks and tasted _everything_ that was his lover and nibbled at his bottom lip.

Alaude crooned with appreciation, both hands clawing down Giotto's sides until they were at his hips. Giotto hummed and grinded against him.

This was _incredible. _

But…there was the tiny fact that Tsuna _was_ in his life now.

There was the fact that Cozart had come back to haunt him, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

There was the _thrill_, of finding out that a man who was once his lover, his best friend, and brother, had a little brother G and he had every intention of spoiling and showering with love.

There was the fact that since Enma came into the picture, since _Tsuna_ came into the picture, his big brother had come into the picture, too. And every time Alaude's name was mentioned in front of the eldest blond of the Vongola family, all Giotto could focus on was the distant look Dino gave. That, even after all these years and a ruined relationship, he could _tell_ Dino was still in love with Alaude.

And thinking about it, a world without Tsuna in his life made Giotto sick to his stomach.

The last thought heavy on his mind, the blond slipped up in the middle of making out with his boyfriend. Alaude took full advantage to keep him pinned against the couch, and behind the calculating blue-eyed glance, there was a keen sense of achievement.

Alaude's hand smoothly ran down the flat of his stomach, then squeezed his thigh. One-by-one the buttons on Giotto's shirt flew open, revealing his tan chest in comparison to the other man's pale complexion. The flush that extended from his cheekbones to his chest was suddenly fading—_fast._

Sex with Alaude…suddenly didn't feel _right._

Fuck.

"Looks like I picked a bad day not to wear underwear," he mused to himself.

Silvery-white eyebrows quirked suspiciously, focus clearly interrupted. Alaude rubbed one of Giotto's nipples between his fingers—_oh_—and kissed him sensually on the mouth. His eyes glowed with something near amusement and irritation. "Time with Sawada has certainly turned you into…"

The sentence had been started without thinking. Giotto raised his head, watching as Alaude's brow wrinkled together, and he understood everything. Instead of coming up with a quick quip, he asked, "Like whom?"

A growl met his ear. Alaude moved to place Giotto's long legs on either side of him, bulge pressed against bulge. "Forget about it."

"Like my brother? Like _Dino_?" The name had been forbidden in their two years together. Giotto waited carefully, watching as Alaude's demeanor morphed from aroused to a scowl in a matter of seconds. As he expected only moments later, Alaude roughly pulled away from the blond, straightened his tie, and headed toward the door.

"I'm leaving."

"Really?" Giotto called. "Just like that?" He sat up immediately, ignoring the necessity to button up his shirt, but didn't stand. Instead, he traced the outline of Alaude's back with his eyes and felt his jaw tighten. "You remember why we became sex friends, right?"

Because Giotto was too afraid to trust anyone new since Daemon and because Alaude was drunk enough to believe that he'd be having sex with _Dino_. He was surprised that sleeping with the brother boded so well with Alaude. After all, every time they fucked, it would have just been an irritating reminder that Giotto wasn't Dino_._

"Oh?" Alaude's eloquent tone reached his ears as the white-haired man collected his boots. "Is that all we are, Vongola?" Anger was bubbling in his tone. And when Alaude got _angry_, that was never a good sign. "After all the years we've been through with one another? After that _date_? What satisfaction do you get, by not telling me when that _fucking bronco_ is going to be in the same room as me?"

"I would have thought that by now," Giotto snapped, "that you would have gotten over him. Stop being a child!"

"Then stop changing the definition to our relationship," Alaude sneered. His hand met the door, and Giotto winced at his gaze. "We can either be sexual deviants to one another or lovers. But until then, don't cross a boundary unless you plan on _staying there._"

"How about after you finally decide if you _love_ my brother or _hate_ him?"

The door whirled open—

"A-Ah—Alaude-san?"

—and slammed closed. Followed by a squeak, clumsy fall and noise that suspiciously sounded like something had broken, Tsuna tripped through the door, pale look on his face. The brunet trembled, eyes presumably following Alaude's form as he left the building altogether, then locked eyes with Giotto.

The elder brother pressed a hand to his face, sharp breath inhaled. Getting Alaude out of the apartment had been the idea. The way he left was _not._

"Um. Were…y-you and Alaude…?" Tsuna trailed off his sentence.

But, Giotto realized, for a very good reason. He felt himself burn pink, then scratched his ear. "What makes you think that?"

"Er." His brother was pointing to his chest. Which was very much exposed, and from what Giotto could tell, had a trail of fresh hickeys coming down his collarbone.

"Oops," he muttered. Quickly turning around, Giotto fixed his hair as best he could, then buttoned his shirt. In each breath he drew, the scent of Alaude's cologne was still fresh. But wasn't the first time that he was covered in the other man's scent. "So, how was your date?"

He heard Tsuna mumbling quietly.

"What?" As he faced the brunet again, Giotto froze. Chocolate brown eyes stared at him, wide and possibly mortified. Tsuna remained at the door, gaze fixated on his form and hands trembling. Unsure what to do, Giotto made a quick mental check if Alaude had tousled him further, other than his hair and shirt. His arousal was quickly leaving him, too—considering the fight had been embarrassing. After another minute, he realized Tsuna still hadn't responded to him. "Little brother? You alright?"

Fortunately he reanimated. Brown orbs looked down to the ground, and Tsuna took a shaky step into the living room. "It…it went well. Ryohei-senpai won the fight."

"Good for him." Giotto nodded conversationally, but after another minute of silence, Tsuna _still_ wouldn't look him in the eye. A sliver of worry passed through him. This was _exactly_ what had happened the first time Tsuna ran away. It had only been a few weeks ago since his discussion in the taxi with G and Dino, but…this was concerning.

And whatever it was, Giotto needed Tsuna to talk to him about it. _Quickly._

"I bet," he said, raising his voice, "she turned you down, didn't she?"

Tsuna looked to him, bewildered. Good. That meant there was expression on his face. "She…didn't…"

"Because you can't dance? You were stumbling over her feet, remember, at the dinner party, little brother," Giotto teased. He grinned, taking short strides toward his brother until they were standing toe-to-toe.

"I-I didn't…" Tsuna's face curled into an adorably frustrating pout and he rocked between his heels. "I-I can _too_ dance."

"Really?" The blond split into a grin. "I don't need to get Reborn-sensei to teach you _that,_ too, do I?"

"P-Please don't." Yeah. Obviously having Reborn as a tutor could have been traumatizing to anyone. Considering the way Tsuna had just paled, Giotto silently decided to himself that Tsuna was _definitely_ a Vongola. All that was left was to see if the sheep-thing was abused by Reborn, too, and all four brothers could live in peace.

Giotto shivered. The thought of Reborn teaching _any_ of them again made him quiver. Giving into impulse, he pushed the thought aside and pulled Tsuna by the hand.

"Whoa!"

"Then," the blond murmured quietly in his brother's ear, as he was chest to chest with his brother, "I guess I'll just teach you myself. No, _piccolino?" _

"…oh," Tsuna squeaked. His voice reached a higher octave than it already was.

Laughing, the blond took that as a 'yes' and inched toward the stereo. He pressed play, then decided the first song to pop up to be what it danced to. He split into a grin the moment the ukulele sounded, then held both of Tsuna's hands tightly. "Ready?"

"Guess so." Tsuna looked at him oddly. His stutter had gotten better since their time together. Now, Giotto mused, he just got odd looks from the tiny brunet, like Tsuna wanted to say something but wouldn't.

"Alright. Step…step…_watchmyfeet_ good. You're not half bad," Giotto commented. They moved about the living room and avoided bumping into the kitchen counter and couch. Smiling, he placed a kiss on his brother's head and guided them toward the stairway. "So, what happened on your date? You look bow-legged."

He noticed it as Tsuna took choppy steps between them. While he wouldn't step on the taller brother's feet, he still occasionally tripped. Tsuna exhaled with relief, the turned a cute shade of red. "I uh…well, Gokudera's ex-girlfriend was at the restaurant. She…accidentally tripped, and I got doused in hot tea."

"Ouch," Giotto grimaced. On occasion that would happen to him. Asari often invited him to tea ceremonies during New Year's, and kids would be the one conducting it. More than once he'd been doused with tea in the shirt, in the face, and most horrifically, in the hair. "Where?"

"Uh…" Tsuna stopped their dancing that moment, ears turning an even darker shade of red than Giotto was used to seeing. His eyes cast downward, toward…oh.

"_O-oh._" Fiery eyes widened in surprise, then he bit back a pitying grin. "Is it, uh. Okay—?"

"Yes." There was a little bit of deadpan in his voice, like he wanted to close the subject before it got any more embarrassing. Giotto had a feeling G had been feeding his little brother some backbone while he was away at work.

Hiding the temptation to snort, Giotto broke into a smile instead and tugged on the teen's arm to continue their dance. "You're not wearing my jacket."

"Oh, yeah." Tsuna looked up, eyes adorably wide. "Is that okay? I gave it to Kyoko-chan since she was cold and all."

Ah. The strategy of _all_ girls. Marisol must have owned at least six of his jackets before Giotto realized she never wore a jacket during their dates on purpose. He smiled gently, then shook his head. He could imagine the date in his head already: Tsuna pulling out the chair for little Kyoko-chan, holding her hand and not knowing _why_, and kissing her on the cheek because 'that's what they did in the movies.'

"You know, she's never going to figure out you're gay if you keep seducing her like that."

"I…I don't think I'm seducing her."

Oh, poor little brother. He didn't even know how his cuteness _effected_ people. Laughing under his breath, Giotto could only shake his head in dismay and bury his face in the scent of Tsuna's hair. Which…was a _lot_ better than the scent of Alaude's hair.

It was hard to believe that only a few minutes ago, he was arguing with Alaude and debating whether or not he _wanted_ Tsuna in his life. Giotto had known a long time ago that no matter how close Alaude and he got, Alaude would _never_ be his.

And suddenly the thought of losing Tsuna to a girl suddenly made Giotto twitch with discomfort. He didn't like the thought of Tsuna being with anyone. Anyone _else_, that is.

"Giotto?" He hadn't realized he stopped their conversation until Tsuna called his name out.

Beautiful chocolate orbs looked to him curiously, almost no-longer beneath eye-level. Tsuna's face was soft and pale—a lot like his mother's. Like the first day they'd met in ten years, when Giotto made that comment. But they'd come such a long way. He couldn't have been _any more_ prouder of Tsuna. For _everything._

And a part of him was happy that Tsuna was there, after Alaude had announced he found Daemon. Otherwise, Giotto was sure he would have broken.

For the longest time, he found himself drawn to those chocolate eyes. Everything about them was just enticing, and here they stood, face to face, forehead-to-forehead.

"G…Giotto…," his little brother murmured once again.

_Lip-to-lip. _

In a matter of seconds, they were kissing.

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

I would do a review wall, but uh. There seems to have been a large accumulation of reviews for chapter 27 that it would literally take five hours just to give all of you special personal Zeph time. SO. HAPPY NEW YEAR'S, GUYS! :D


	29. storm and rain

**chapter twenty-nine has **storm and rain.

_Shock_—

—was the first emotion that registered in Tsuna's mind. However, not even that feeling was given a chance to fully process; instead, Tsuna found himself caving under the weight of his older brother, who, at the moment, kept eager lips pressed against his.

_Pleasure_, naturally, was the next feeling to hammer through the brunet's mind and body. The heat of the kiss, intensity, _burned_, and he found his own hands clawing against Giotto's long shirt. A long, delicate hand that was originally on the small of the teenager's back now pulled him closer until the balls of Tsuna's feet were lifted off the ground.

A split second later (and only that, a _second_), they parted, and fiery eyes locked on brown. A heavy breath tickled the surface of Tsuna's lips, which, at this point, _throbbed._

He shivered, then stood at the tip of his toes. Slowly, tentatively, Giotto and he met lips for a second time that night.

_Yes. _

Moans and mewls, sounds that Tsuna was not used to hearing (especially from his _own_ mouth) filled the air, and with each second, Tsuna's backed into the living room, ukulele music long forgotten. He shivered, crooning again as a long hand spread beneath his shirt.

**Yes. **

He'd wanted this. Tsuna really, _really_ wanted this. Despite the tension that arose between them months ago, they were good now. Giotto and he had gotten so far as people, and…

He loved Giotto. But…_not_ as a brother. True, unadulterated feelings from one person to another, the way two lovers held the soul of their beloved. Enma, Yamamoto, and even Gokudera were friends who supported him, but it was Giotto who…who _challenged _him.

_**Yes. **_

Tsuna fell onto the couch, back against the cushions as for the second time that night, they parted. The air in his lungs had depleted, and now, as Tsuna took in shallow breaths and held onto the bare skin of Giotto's forearms, he watched dazed, amber orbs scan his entire form.

Then hoped that those very eyes would not sober up to the actions just out.

Because now, as his brother's demeanor succumbed to horror, with swollen lips twisting into a mortified 'o' and blond eyebrows knitting together with fluster, Tsuna knew the air of euphoria had long been chased out of the room.

It was over.

Limbs were untangled from others. A shudder passed through the teenager as large hands slid out of his shirt, and he dared not make a sound as the tiny space between them now became an immeasurable gap.

The primal movements were long gone from the blond's instincts, and his next, sober breath felt like a punch to the gut.

Tsuna realized it too, now that the room had been doused with seriousness. He caught his breath, finally, feeling the heat in his cheeks become cold.

They…did something bad.

The feelings he felt, the sensations as Giotto's hands expertly around him, the _tongue_ that groped the inside of his mouth and left him pleased and bothered—

Tsuna trembled.

They did something _very_ bad.

There was no doubt in his mind that Giotto was thinking the very same thing, and the fear that coursed through the brunet's veins was bright in Tsuna's eyes. Giotto snapped out of his thoughts, out of his scrutiny, and took in the full sight of his baby brother—

Who…in a matter of moments, he could have undone.

Swallowing hard, the tightness in Tsuna's throat refused to go away. "Giotto…"

He pushed off the couch, stumbled to his feet, and reached out to touch the blond—only to have him pull away.

The space between them deepened, and Giotto backed away, now fully aware of what he'd just done. What…_they'd_ just done. He was at a loss of words, and Tsuna doubted the Namimori Library had an instruction manual for, _What-to-do-After-an-Intense-Makeout-Session-With-Your-Baby-Half-Brother. _

"Giotto," Tsuna murmured once again, the silent plea in his voice. He was confused and very, very scared. _Please don't hate me_, he wanted to say. _P…Please don't kick me out. P…Please don't h-hate me._

Giotto bit his bottom lip and lowered his head courteously.

"Goodnight, little brother."

_SLAM_

The sound resonated through the emptied apartment, deafening Tsuna's ears until all he could hear was the low hum from their lights. He caught his breath, replaying the scene in his head—all of it, from the dance to the kiss to _now_—and crumpled.

He lay curled against the couch with hands over his ears and knees to his chest. Tsuna breathed again, unable to calm his throbbing heart. The heat resurfaced in his cheeks, and slowly but surely, he could feel a wetness swell in his eyes.

They'd kissed. Two brothers, t…two blood relatives.

They'd done something very, very wrong.

And Tsuna knew they could never look at one another in the same way ever again.

Because now he wanted more.

OoOoO

Daylight filtered through the large, long windows on the far side of the living room. As it snuck along the wooden floor, darkness became a fleeing enemy that hid beneath the furniture and shielded itself from pure light. The morning's graces soon touched the flesh of a tired adolescent, who lay half-awake against the couch, groggy eyes filled with grains of sand and dried tears.

Tsuna woke up that morning with a splitting headache, hand tangled through unruly hair. He maneuvered until the back of his head met couch cushions and let his eyes soak in the panorama above him. Sunlight teased light fixtures, gleaming and shimmering to welcome the new day, and without a care, he took in a full breath before closing his eyes again.

What day was it? Why wasn't he in his room? Where had he been last night?

Reaching into his pocket, Tsuna dug for his cell phone, which without a night's charge was nearly dead. He had an hour before school started. Yamamoto would be coming soon to collect him for their walk to school and—_and_, he reminded himself with a small smile, Enma was here. All three of them could walk to school this morning.

Forcing himself to his feet, the teenager groaned as his headache hit him full-force and stumbled on his way to the stairs. He'd had an awful dream the night before, with anxiety hammering through his lungs and making it difficult to breathe.

Shockingly, Tsuna couldn't remember what it was—why he dreamed badly, and why he'd gone to bed in a foul mood.

With each step drew a wince and a grimace, along with a limp Tsuna knew very well. That part of the night—his first date, _ever_ was marred in his brain from the moment he left the penthouse to when Haru doused him with boiling hot tea.

Not…to mention what had happened right before Kyoko's big brother had his big match against Aoba Koyo.

He shivered as he peeled off his clothes from the other night and jumped in the shower.

Going on a date in the first place had been awkward enough. However, Tsuna was too scared of what PawPaw would say if he'd declined his classmate. Kyoko was really sweet, it…was just mixed interest. Tsuna rotated his shoulder and winced, feeling the full force of the bruise Aoba-kun gave him last night.

To say Enma's foster family didn't hold a grudge against him would have been a lie. Without Reborn-sensei and Ryohei there to intervene the night before, Tsuna was sure he'd have more than the bruise where Aoba grabbed him. Words had been flung, and being the overprotective brother he was, Ryohei requested Tsuna to take his sister home as soon as the match was over.

Which may had been the cause to his exhaustion later that night. Tsuna shampooed his hair and bit the inside of his mouth. Kyoko, who was oblivious to the exchange, was distraught when Tsuna insisted they went home.

It…probably was a bad idea to say, _Everything will be okay_, and then kiss her on the cheek. Th…that was what his mother always did. She'd done that when Enma went in for surgery when they were younger.

Today, he realized with a breath as he got out of the shower and got redressed, he would have to be on his guard. People from Shimon weren't the easiest to deal with, and in the corner of his mind he had a feeling that despite Enma being under G's custody, their roots would come back to burn them.

Making his way downstairs, Tsuna quickly checked the clock and started for the freezer. A quiet laugh escaped his lips when a tired Nuts nuzzled against his leg and crooned. He picked the tiny kitten up and rubbed his cheek. "Hi, Nuts."

He popped two waffles in the toaster and faintly heard the sound of footsteps walking toward the kitchen. Tsuna sighed tiredly and acknowledged his brother.

"Good morning Gi—"

Or tried to, before the final inkling of last night's events flooded through his mind.

Tsuna stood frozen next to the sink with blood running cold through his body.

He'd come home last night, worried of what to say to Enma, how to politely turn down Kyoko-chan, and was swept into a silly waltz with his brother. Body against body, with intense eyes that flickered with life drew him in, they'd melted onto one another.

They'd kissed. _The_ kiss, with unbearable heat and strength and—a-all of the overwhelming emotions Tsuna never knew existed.

Immediately Tsuna turned to meet eyes with the very same brother, the shock accumulating to his demeanor. His throat swelled, unable to squeeze even the tiniest of words from his lips, and Tsuna's complexion paled in a pasty white.

_That_ had been the memory he'd forgotten last night. It…h-hadn't been a bad dream—it really happened.

And now, brown eyes meeting that of his brother's, Tsuna's heart fell to the pit of his stomach. Dark rings marked the eyes of his half-Italian brother and hair, sweaty and mussed, matted across the adult's face. Both were clear indications Giotto had not slept the night before and the same thought passed through both brothers' minds.

The air in the room suddenly disappeared, and Tsuna was consumed in his own emotions.

Every minute that passed felt like an eternity. The clutch around Tsuna's heart loosened and he forced a ragged breath before opening his mouth again. "Um…g…good morning, Giotto."

The words immediately snapped his elder brother out of his stupor. The blond ducked away, and immediately Giotto carried out, going through the cabinets for breakfast. At the very same moment, Tsuna's waffles popped from the toaster. Hesitantly, the teen appeared next to his brother to collect it, then shivered as they brushed arms.

Giotto tensed altogether and now, refused to look him in the eye.

Tsuna shut his eyes. This…morning couldn't get any worse. There was a gap in his chest, so large and empty that it _hurt_, and he could barely hear his own thoughts. His hands curled into tense fists. "A…about last night—"

"Let's forget it ever happened."

Freeze. Tsuna was met with a hesitant side glance, Giotto's hands squeezing the cereal box so hard that it began to crumple. Before him, his older brother's tight gaze was restrained. He must have been up all night thinking about this.

It was so like them, too, to get lost in their head and try to come up with a simple solution for such a complicated problem. Remembering the circumstance too, Tsuna realized he must have spent the latter half of the night trying to find a solution before he fell asleep in his stress.

"It's—" The brunet hesitated, feeling his heart hammer in his chest.

Giotto's stature remained stiff, and now that he was this close, Tsuna realized he hadn't heard his brother draw a breath. This was weird for the both of them; a situation neither could have _ever_ expected after living together.

The doorbell rang twice, signaling Yamamoto was right on schedule to pick him up.

"I…It's probably for the best that way," the brunet muttered quietly. As he spoke, his chest _burned._

For every reason to leave the overbearing feelings of the room, Tsuna picked up his backpack from across the room, held one waffle in his hand, and collected himself at the door. Fingers wrapping around the doorknob, he looked over his shoulder where Giotto remained firmly planted to the ground, and shook.

"B…Bye, Giotto. Have a good day at work."

"Ah! Good morning, Tsuna. How was it last night? Haha."

As Yamamoto greeted him, it shouldn't have hurt as much as it did, when Giotto said nothing in return.

OoOoO

Tsuna was much quieter than he normally was during their morning walks.

Hm. Takeshi looked down to his brunet friend with curiosity, who in return had eyes glued to his feet. A smile adorned his own features per usual, but the sight of his distraught little buddy worried the taller teen to no end.

Taking that into account, he reached over and touched Tsuna's arm, a smile gracing his features as he broke the brunet's pace and stopped in their tracks. "You feeling okay, Tsuna?"

Brown eyes looked to him hesitantly, brows knitting together with clear uncertainty. "Uh…y…yeah." Tsuna forced a smile, and beneath Takeshi's arms, the shorter teen was trembling.

"You don't seem okay." The last time something bothered Tsuna, he'd gone missing for three days and ran away from home. Of course, through that debacle they had gained Enma but—well, that was beside the point. Without warning, he placed a large hand against his shorter friend's forehead and felt his temperature. "Ah? You're a bit hot."

"Am I?" Those same eyes widened in surprise. Tsuna stumbled back, clearly not expecting his friend's—_best_ friend's, Takeshi corrected in his head—touch. The taller teen responded by pulling Tsuna closer to prevent him from falling. "I...I didn't expect that—"

"You can tell me if something's bothering you, okay?" They were _good_ friends now. After that talk they had on the porch and aside from issues with Gokudera, Tsuna mattered a lot to him. Taking a step forward, Takeshi squeezed the other teen's shoulder reassuringly and tried a smile.

This time, Tsuna's full attention turned to him, demeanor still filled with too much uncertainty. It was this look he would get—or, Takeshi realized, Tsuna always _had_ where he worried over even the tiniest detail, then fell into a depression when he couldn't see it through. It was endearing, when he worried so much after Ryohei-senpai and he told Tsuna he could go out for track.

"We're friends. Brothers, okay?" Takeshi squeezed the younger teen's shoulders tightly, then curled an arm around him. "Gokudera and I don't want you to lose yourself over something. Whatever it is, you're still very important to us—and, Kozato would be very distraught if you were worried over something too, right? Haha."

Good. After making that point, Tsuna's complexion eased just slightly, a small smile and quiet thank you gracing his lips. It wasn't much, but he knew it would be enough of a breakthrough for now. Once Enma came into the picture, maybe things would smooth over better. He relinquished his grip over Tsuna's shoulder, then took the shorter's hand in his.

A cute blush streamed across Tsuna's face as they continued forward. "You…d-don't have to—"

"It's fine, okay? Haha." Takeshi gave a tiny squeeze as they entered another apartment complex belonging to G, Master Asari Ugetsu, and their newest addition, Enma Kozato. "This way you know that I'm here for you."

Tsuna admitted earlier that being fed sushi was a sweet, but odd gesture. Maybe holding his hand would be better—besides, both bento were in his backpack and he had a baseball bat slung over the other arm. He couldn't feed the poor teen just yet.

The red across Tsuna's face only darkened and he sputtered, "It's really not that big of a—"

"To me, you are." Oh? The comment led to another silence on Tsuna's part, followed by an even _darker_ shade of red. Takeshi kept himself from chuckling—that had been part of his point for the grand gesture; now Tsuna's mind would hopefully be preoccupied with something else.

The firmness of Tsuna's next smile was harder, tighter, and was no doubt more genuine than the last few. His fingers tightened weakly under Takeshi's grip and he nodded. "Thank you, Yamamoto. I—I…I'll…tell you. When I can."

"Mm. No more running away again, okay? Haha."

"R…Right."

They used the elevator, hands still tangled together as they approached the correct apartment number, and even when a prim and proper G opened the front door.

The redhead yawned, halfway done with tying his tie, and opened the door wider with a more-than-cheerful smile. "Morning, Takeshi-kun. Morning, kid." His gaze lowered until settling on the state of their hands, then a red eyebrow raised in the air with much amusement. "Is…there something you wanna tell me, kid?"

That amusement changed into concern when Tsuna forgot to look the older man in the eye. Bewildered by matching gazes, Tsuna looked up, eyebrows at their hairline and surprise written across his face. "Y…Yeah, I'm fine."

Just like Takeshi this morning, G placed both hands on Tsuna's shoulders, immediately switching to his mother-henning mode. A frown fell across his lips that would readily morph into a scowl. "What happened? Fuck—is Dino on one of his surprise visits again? Hayato do something stupid?"

"N-Nothing happened." Tsuna twitched, instantly trying to escape, but G's grip only tightened.

"Did _Giotto_ do something stupid?"

Ah. Giotto-san. Takeshi blinked. Giotto was rarely up whenever he picked Tsuna up in the mornings and the last he heard, both brothers were on good terms with each other. However, it was easy to think otherwise when the younger of the pair tensed again, then refused to look the redheaded guardian in the eye.

"It's…" Tsuna's voice disappeared.

"Ah…_dammit._" G was…oddly very angry. In all the years Takeshi knew the man, he'd never seen something break his tolerance level. Yet now, the older redhead pressed a hand to his face, an intense scowl falling across his features. He sighed. "I'll have a word with him…it's wrong for him to upset you like this, ki—"

"N-No, it's f-fine!" Whoa. Tsuna raised his voice.

The unexpected sharpness of his tone cut through the serenity of the room. Takeshi blinked, almost forgetting he himself was in the room to console Tsuna, and G looked down, clearly taken off guard. Tsuna's entire body reanimated as if given a new set of batteries, and he was clearly flustered.

"Tsuna," Takeshi muttered. He wasn't sure what to say. G bit his lip.

"Tsuna." The entrance of the fourth voice caught the trio off guard. Enma, who had been standing at the hallway for who-knows-how-long, held a tiny frown across his lips and scarlet eyebrows wrinkled with a certain fluster.

"E…Enma." Tsuna grimaced. The younger redhead took the other teen by his hand, into the kitchen and out of sight. Under the supervision of his best friend, Tsuna had willingly followed.

At a loss for the situation, all Takeshi could do was watch, then held a small smile when he saw Tsuna's tense stature break down to hug his best friend. With a sigh of relief, he chuckled and turned his attention back to G. "Looks like he's in good hands now, huh? Haha."

G made a face. He ran a hand through his hair and bit the inside of his mouth.

"He's…good now." Takeshi frowned. "Right?"

"I hope so," muttered the redheaded man. He closed the door behind him and quickly side-glanced the tall teenager. G sighed. "He…"

"Locks himself up." They had to be careful. Tsuna had been a wary kid when he first came to Namimori, but it got even worse whenever he was pulled out of his comfort zone. Takeshi's eyebrows furrowed and he laughed quietly under his breath. "Yeah, I know. Not exactly a laughing matter, huh? …haha."

Fortunately through the hugfest, Tsuna seemed more like himself. In the kitchen, his gangly limbs wrapped around his redheaded best friend tight and squeezing out all the comfort he could. Aw. Enma inhaled a sharp breath and untangled from the brown-haired teenager before smiling.

Tsuna, though uncertain, smiled back.

"Tch. I'm beginning to wonder when I became a foster-parent to all these children." G rubbed the back of his neck, half-sarcasm, half-amusement in his voice. "Please don't tell me there's another friend that's the long-lost brother of another one of my old lovers."

"Eh? You were involved with Kozato's brother?" To that, the adult twitched. Takeshi knew better than to pry. He offered a cheeky smile when Enma held hands with Tsuna, and both teenagers turned the slightest shade of pink. Again, _aww._ "Aww, haha. They make a cute couple, don't you think?"

G-san twitched again. This time he grimaced.

"Mm? Something wrong, G-san?"

"Somehow that thought doesn't…sit well with my temper. Um, don't worry about it, kid."

Their conversation was cut short when the somewhat not-a-couple reappeared from the kitchen, hand-in-hand. Whatever Enma had said to Tsuna in their own time seemed to have worked; the brunet was now willing to look them in the eye, if not still a little hesitant.

G pounced. He placed a hand over Tsuna's forehead to check his fever, forced the teen to look him in the eye, and touched wherever he could like a doting mother trying to find a problem. "You gonna be okay, kid? Do I need to tell Alaude you won't be attending school today?"

A slight smile decorated Tsuna's face and he shook his head. "I…I've already missed too many days of school. Anymore and…R-Reborn-sensei offered to tutor me."

"Oh, _yikes_! Mochida-senpai says that Reborn-sensei's tutor sessions are deadly!" The baseball player shivered. That didn't sound like a good idea.

"Y…Yeah."

"Very well then." Still, G was not at peace with the situation. He opened the door behind them, lips curled into a tiny frown. "Do you have any plans today?"

Because of Tsuna's silence, Enma was quick to answer. He turned to Takeshi, a curious look to his face. The elder teen smiled. "Not exactly, haha. You two are more than welcome to come by for sushi if you'd like."

That answer in mind, the red-haired teenager turned back to his guardian and shook his head. G smiled slightly, still wary and wry before touching hands with both boys. "Go to school. I'll..try and get everything sorted out."

The way Tsuna's eyebrows furrowed looked as though he wanted to protest, but Enma quickly nudged him before nodding. Red sweetly glowed in his cheeks and he took a step forward to hide the brunet's indecisiveness. "O…okay."

Ah? The word alone was enough to crack a sincere grin from G-san. He ruffled scarlet-red hair and sighed. "Alright then. Now get the hell out of my apartment."

OoOoO

Something was off with Tsuna.

That much, Enma was able to figure out the moment he stepped out of his bedroom, dressed in his new and awkward Namimori uniform. It was a loose fit (his _pants_ were too long, for some reason), and very…different from the Shimon uniform he'd grown used to, but for Tsuna, G, and Giotto, Enma was more than gracious to wear it.

Until he saw the mixture of guilt and frustration that twisted across Tsuna's face.

Enma _always_ knew when something was off about his best friend. That was what they were—_best friends._ From the slightest crinkle in brown eyebrows to the millisecond of hesitation in Tsuna's speech, he knew better than to shrug off Tsuna's uncertainty.

However—

_**Did Tsuna tell you what was wrong? – Yamamoto **_

—was what the note the Yamamoto-san had passed to him during math class. Enma looked at the tiny, crumpled paper thoughtfully, then glanced at his best friend, who unfortunately sat on the other side of the room. Tsuna was absorbed by the contents in his notebook—or at the very least, _looked_ like he was. Enma knew a contemplating Tsunayoshi when he saw it.

So, he turned to Yamamoto, who he had the good-fortune of sitting next to during math, and caught the taller teen glancing up from his notebook. The redhead shook his head left-and-right, then smiled sympathetically when he saw the concern flutter through the baseball player's eyes once again.

It was…nice for Tsuna to have friends that cared for him like this. He really deserved them.

Enma turned his attention back to his notebook when he caught Gokudera-san glaring at him. A shiver passed down his spine and his shoulders hunched.

Tsuna had been especially quiet on the walk to Namimori High School. It left Yamamoto free to chatter about whatever subject and, being on good terms with the taller ten, Enma had kindly nodded and spoke words whenever he had a question.

Still, even through their conversation, both teens caught themselves watching Tsuna for his reaction.

Something was wrong. Even Gokudera-san held his tongue instead of hissing when he saw Yamamoto dote more than usual. Watching the pair peck and poke Tsuna to make sure he was okay was…entertaining, actually. For Yamamoto to go as far as passing notes with him during _Reborn-sensei's_ class was a surprise.

A sigh of relief left his lips when Reborn-sensei only continued with the next lesson.

If it was one thing Enma hated, it was when he was unable to help his best friend out in his time of need after everything Tsuna had ever done for him. This morning when he pulled Tsuna aside, his best friend refused to speak. It amazed him how quickly G-san and Yamamoto-san noticed the change in Tsuna's behavior.

Then again, the night started with a nervous Tsuna going on a date with a girl he apparently didn't like, and halfway through, he forgot to call for dinner reservations. G wouldn't stop smiling after the redheaded pair had to bail Tsuna out of the problem—something, according to Asari, about having a breakthrough. The sweet musician-and-swordsman mused Giotto himself would call it a 'Bridge in Redhead Extraterrestrial Communications,' to which Enma elegantly blushed and murmured 'good night.'

Yamamoto and Gokudera were hardly the problem. Yamamoto was tolerant of absolutely anything Tsuna did (which, of course, _irked_ Gokudera), and despite his tepid nature, Gokudera did very little to hurt Tsuna's feelings.

Which, Enma frowned as he scribbled names in his notebook, left Giotto. He _hmm'd_ to himself.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of class and beginning. Immediately, the tiny redhead shoved his belongings inside his desk before scampering to the other side of the classroom to pick up his best friend—

"Mister Enma Kozato." Freeze. Enma stopped three desks away from Tsuna, whose brown eyes traveled to him, then to Reborn-sensei at the very front of the classroom. A tiny, daunting smirk curled across their scary teacher's face as students fled the classroom. Reborn-sensei flattened his palm against the teacher's desk and raised his head ever-so slightly. "Next time, you and Takeshi Yamamoto will wait until the end of my teaching period to pass notes."

H…He saw that? All the way from there? Enma nodded slowly, eyebrows raised behind his hair.

"Otherwise," their teacher tittered evilly, "I'll kill you."

"Okay," Enma whispered quietly.

The look in Tsuna's eye quickly showed worry. He stood up from his seat, quick to waltz across the room, and wrapped a hand around Enma's bicep. Reborn-sensei hummed, then also left the room for his own lunch.

Tsuna looked to him, eyebrows furrowed together. "Are you okay?"

Enma matched his facial expression. "Are you?"

Frustratingly enough, his best friend turned blue in the face and shook his head. _That_ one hurt. For as long as they'd known each other, Tsuna never hesitated telling him what the problem was. With a tight squeeze to the hand, Enma dragged the brunet out of the aisle and met Gokudera and Yamamoto, both who waited at the door today.

Enma looked to the taller teen curiously. Tsuna was the one to ask a question. "You're…going to eat with us today, Yamamoto?"

Gokudera grunted, arms crossed. "That Mochida got into some stupid trouble or something with Sasagawa."

Tsuna's blinked. "Kyoko-chan?"

"Ah? No. Her brother." To explain his point, Gokudera-san rotated his palm over his head and rolled his eyes. "You know. The Lawn Head third year?"

"Sasagawa-senpai doesn't have a Lawn Head, haha." Yamamoto split into a grin and started their path to their lunch spot. His eyes, Enma realized, were focused on the way Tsuna and he were holding hands. In the next moment, the baseball player's gaze returned to his own best friend, who was as grouchy as ever. This time, he smile fully. "But it's been a while since we were together. Right, Hayato?"

Ah. _This_ again.

_Super-Dooper Explosive Blush. _ "Th-The _fuck_! Don't you dare call me by my first name you stupid idiot!"

"Ah? You can call me Takeshi if you want."

"The hell I'll call you Takeshi!"

Enma bit the inside of his mouth to hide a giggle of amusement. He nudged Tsuna in the arm, and to his pleasant surprise, that same amusement was surfacing in his best friend's own demeanor. They looked to each other, one with a tiny grin and the other a small smile.

"Ah? Then, do you want to call me Takeshi, Tsuna? Kozato?" Yamamoto smiled fully to the both of them.

That only flustered Gokudera-san more. "_What_? Don't just casually ask!"

"You can call me Enma if you want." Fortunately the other two of their quad hadn't gotten as worked up. Enma held a smile that brimmed with mirth and raised his head. "You already call Tsuna by his first name, too."

"Is that so? Haha." Yamamoto smiled heartwarmingly and nudged him in the shoulder. "Enma then. Are you gonna call him Enma too, Hayato?"

"No!" Not to anyone's surprise, the silver-haired teen was now simmering, his short-fuse of a temper having ignited. He bared his teeth and harrumphed. "You're so unbearable! Now stop calling me Hayato!"

"Aww, but we're childhood best friends! Wait—Gokudera, don't storm off!"

As Yamamoto chased after his best friend, Enma and Tsuna were leftto follow them, only yards away. Enma nudged him gently in the arm. "You think they'll ever adopt children?"

Brown eyes looked to red, then to the trail where the other two teenagers had wandered off. Tsuna shrugged lightly. "I-I think they've already adopted _me._"

OoOoO

"Are you okay?"

He kissed his brother.

"Giotto, you're wearing a hole into that paper."

He…kissed his _little_ brother. Tsuna. His tiny brother, with whom after nine years of tension and hatred, he was on good terms. The brother, that without, he would never have found Enma Kozato, the long lost Shimon Heir and the brother to an old lover whom he loved very, very much.

The one that coaxed him not too long ago, and kept him going after countless nightmares about Daemon Spade.

"Giotto."

Nana's son. The other woman's child. His…half-brother. Only half of their blood was the same. They…were only half related and—

No. The cold hard fact was, it'd been his _brother. _It was _Tsuna_, who he had bent down and kissed, _Tsuna_'s body where he let eager hands roam, and _Tsuna _he had every intention of…_unwrapping. _Despite the terrible night with Alaude, Giotto eagerly touched Tsuna's skin, and it was different from the times before. He wasn't just…cuddling Tsuna in bed, out of fear, or examining that skin like it was a precious antique.

He'd wanted it.

_That_ was what it circled back to, after the infinite amount of times Giotto dwelled about from last night. He wanted it and he wanted Tsuna _badly. _Had he not settled Tsuna on the couch and consciously admired his handiwork (the pleasant red that glowed in Tsuna's cheeks, along with the swell of his lips, plump and wet from hot kisses), they would have done more than chaste touches.

"Giotto, do I need to ask Dino to come back?"

"Please don't." Having Dino set the building's aquarium on fire the moment he stepped foot in Japan would only stress him out more.

"Fine." G's threats weren't to be taken lightly. Far away from Giotto's scope of attention, he saw a phone light up and heard numbers being dialed into a phone. "I'll call your mother."

"_No._" That was enough to snap Giotto out of his thoughts. He pushed away his current paperwork, eyes pulling from his desk, and met the wary glare the redhead gave him. A frown decorated G's lips, clearly annoyed and lacking in tolerance for his behavior. Ruby red orbs looked to his best friend, then looked down. Giotto followed the gaze, then realized his pen had snapped in half and his hand had been doused with blue ink.

The paper work, too, was now soiled in a dark blue puddle.

Had Celeste not been mentioned, Giotto would have very well continued what he was doing, even if anyone could tell he was out of it. A scowl decorated his lips and he bit back a sneer. G, too, wasn't in the most favorable of moods. Celeste's number had been fully entered in the phone, proving he was not bluffing.

"You are _really_ not playing a fair game, Gaspare." It took all his self-control not to raise his voice.

"You're in luck then. I was one button away from calling her." G clicked his tongue, unamused, then stuffed the phone back in his pocket. "I came to work ready to ask you what you did to Tsuna. Now I'm wondering what _Alaude_ did to you."

At the mention of his brother's name, Giotto inadvertently fidgeted. He matched his best friend's irritation, refusing to stand up from his chair, then arched an eyebrow. "What makes you assume Alaude did something to me? And that _I_ did something to Tsuna?" Lie. Lie, lie, lie. He knew very well it was his fault, but—it…wasn't every day someone kissed their younger brother in a less than familial way.

G arched an eyebrow. "Because your first reaction is, 'What happened to Tsuna?'"

Shit. He needed to be careful with how well G was able to read him. Feeling his heart hammer in his chest, Giotto had no choice but to refuse looking the other man in the eye.

This morning was hard.

After he'd escaped the actions from last night, Giotto spent the entire night desperately trying to forget what had happened. He rolled in bed, eyes wide as he tried to make sense of things, and secretly hoped he was having a dream.

"We…had a little bit of a falling out," Giotto murmured quietly under his breath.

What was he supposed to say? _I'm attracted to my little brother._

Of all the things Gaspare followed him into over the years, this thought was the most surreal. Iemitsu being a shitty father, Daemon Spade, Cozart and Enma—all of those were either hard or irritating to deal with, but…less ridiculous as this.

It was hard.

That was evidence enough when silence filled the room for the next few minutes, leaving Giotto to a headache and G standing, respectfully waiting for the blond to react.

Giotto ran a hand through his hair, a heavy breath falling from his lips. He squeezed his eyes tightly, dipped his head back, and shivered. "He came back last night after his date…we had a disagreement—a big one. W…we're not seeing eye-to-eye at the moment." 'Not' seeing eye-to-eye probably wasn't the right way to say it. _Can't_ seemed more like it.

But…he couldn't help it.

"Well you better fix it. The kid came by this morning and was a mess, Giotto." G made a face. He leaned over the desk, quickly trashing the ruined paper work before muttering something about 'copied papers.' He eyed the other man. "You know him like I do."

Yeah, he did. And ever since the incident before, when Tsuna disappeared, Giotto knew it was not a joking matter.

He just…hated the way so much fear bubbled in Tsuna's eyes this morning when they saw each other. And the way the words had been caught in his throat, unable to say anything more. This whole situation was terrible.

"Gaspare?" Giotto asked quietly. It was rare for him to use the name in such a small way.

Busy with the way his best friend was handling himself, G breathed and reached over to push the hair out of Giotto's eyes. "Yeah?"

"Can Tsuna stay with you for the time being?"

OoOoO

Gray clouds gathered in clusters right above the school, shadows casting later that day as students exited the building. Light, a bright and happy thing that morning, was now forgotten in the form of rain clouds. It showered in sheets, no living being given slack unless they were lucky enough to find an umbrella.

For Hayato, every time it rained, he was anxious for a downpour. Something about the sound of storms made them mesmerizing in his eye; when he was little, he remembered turning off all the lights and electronics in his room so all that was heard were trees rattling and thunder drumming.

He took a deep breath, looking through the open doors of the school as he waited. Only moments later, Yamamoto appeared from down the hallway, soggy with baseball equipment in his hand and a cheerful smile on his face.

"Sorry that took so long, haha. Mochida-senpai caught me while I was leaving the baseball shed."

Hmph. Suppressing the urge to snap, the hotheaded teenager shoved both hands in his pockets and snorted. "Only _you_ would go back for wet baseball equipment."

"Maybe so, haha." A grin, mischievous and more than just a little stupid, spread across the taller teen's lips. "You know what though? I think I caught Colonnello-sensei and Lal Mirch-sensei making out behind the stands though."

Huh. "Someone that _isn't_ a faggot for a change." He grabbed his bag and changed his footing, green eyes narrowed to his best friend. "So, are we waiting for the brats, or are you here to tell me you're leaving?"

The look Yamamoto gave him after that sentence caught him off guard.

Hayato blinked, hesitantly arching an eyebrow. "What?"

"You want to hang out with Tsuna. Openly. Wow, Gokudera, I don't think I've ever heard you say something so sincere! Haha."

"_What_?" Gah, how did the two of them end up being together after all these years? Who knew after eight years, Yamamoto would still be the same numbskull after all. Hayato huffed, irritation clear in his features as he scowled. "Well, wouldn't _you_ be?"

He saw the way Yamamoto and Kozato doted on the Tenth earlier; granted Hayato was not much of a sentimental person, but after everything Sawada had told them in the past few weeks, he couldn't help but be concerned, too.

Yamamoto stared at him even more, like he'd grown a third head.

"Ah, fuck it. So I like the kid—what of it?" he glared, heat simmering in his cheeks. "It's none of your fucking business! I-I'm not saying I'd date him or anything!"

"Never said you would." Emerald green eyes raised to meet sharp, tranquil brown, and chills fluttered through his skin. Goosebumps rose, and suddenly the teen felt his heart skip a beat. "I'm just…glad you're tolerant of them. Both of them."

He caught his breath. Ah, shit.

In the most platonic way, Yamamoto touched his shoulder and a chuckle, light and sweet, left the back of his throat. "They need us. You know? Haha." He shifted his weight and gestured down the hallway. "We should probably go find them—"

"Wait." Before the baseball player could get away, Hayato grabbed the back of his shirt. Tightly. The flesh from his grip became a pasty white, and red flared in his cheeks, a shade darker than it had been only moments before.

Those eyes; they looked at him again. So fucking curious and stupid and ignorant. And…captivating.

Ugh. Double shit.

"What is it?" Yamamoto lowered his gaze, eyes fully making contact with the silver-haired teen's. Ebony eyebrows knitted together and he titled his head curiously. "You alright, Gokudera?"

Triple shit.

Quadruple shit.

Quintuple shit.

Sextuple shit.

Seven times—

"Ah, Gokudera…?"

"Shut up! I'm thinking!" This shouldn't have been as hard as it felt. Nevertheless, Hayato closed his eyes and rubbed a hand to his temple. His face was soaked in red, embarrassed, flustered, and looked ready to explode. "You...me…next Saturday…"

"Uhuh?" Yamamoto smiled, arching an eyebrow in the air.

"Let's go o—"

"Yamamoto! Gokudera!" AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH. Through the doors, the person that called their names rushed into the room, drenched head-to-toe in rain and eyes wide with distress. He panted, trying to catch his breath before his eyes darted to every angle of the room and landed on the pair.

Instantly Yamamoto pulled away from his best friend in favor of his…boyfriend. "Mochida-senpai?" He placed a hand around the older teenager, hand squeezing a wet shoulder with eyebrows raised in the air.

Hayato was in his gaze, from the corner of his vision. The said teen tensed.

Until—

"What happened? What's going on?"

—Mochida looked to the pair with distress in his eyes. "That kid Sasagawa fought last night in the ring, Aoba Koyo? He's here. And he jumped both your friends."

OoOoO

**Author's Note: **

So, first I wanted to apologize for the length of time since the last time I updated; I get busy with a lot of other things easily. Second, I want to ask you guys be patient with me, since in that length of time it's hard to pick pieces up sometimes. (: There wasn't much to do in this chapter, clearly, but _trust me. _A _real_ confrontation will be coming up very soon and—well, if you ended up making out with your brother, wouldn't you feel a little odd, too? Haha. Thank you, for all of you that still felt compelled to review through the gap! I can't promise a real time-span for each chapter; I'm really trying to pace myself so I don't stress myself out.

However, I do have another thing to ask; I'll be coming out with a new KHR story soon; not G27, but Reborn x Tsuna! If you can, I'd love for you to check it out. Please review, it's nice to see familiar faces again! We've come a long way since the beginning, now haven't we? Haha.


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